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Journal ArticleDOI

Flank attacks : Populism and left-right radicalism in Western Europe

01 May 2017-Party Politics (SAGE Publications)-Vol. 23, Iss: 3, pp 193-204
TL;DR: This article found that many contemporary radical left parties are not traditionally communist or socialist (anymore), but glorify a more general category: the "good people" and do not reject the system of liberal democracy as such, but only criticize the political and economic elites within that system.
Abstract: How is populism distributed over the political spectrum? Are right-wing parties more populist than left-wing parties? Based on the analysis of 32 parties in five Western European countries between 1989 and 2008, we show that radical parties on both the left and the right are inclined to employ a populist discourse. This is a striking finding, because populism in Western Europe has typically been associated with the radical right; only some particular radical left parties have been labeled populist as well. This article suggests that the contemporary radical left in Western Europe is generally populist. Our explanation is that many contemporary radical left parties are not traditionally communist or socialist (anymore). They do not focus on the ‘proletariat’, but glorify a more general category: the ‘good people’. Moreover, they do not reject the system of liberal democracy as such, but only criticize the political and/or economic elites within that system.
Citations
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Journal Article
TL;DR: Definition: To what extent does the study allow us to draw conclusions about a causal effect between two or more constructs?
Abstract: Definition: To what extent does the study allow us to draw conclusions about a causal effect between two or more constructs? Issues: Selection, maturation, history, mortality, testing, regression towrd the mean, selection by maturation, treatment by mortality, treatment by testing, measured treatment variables Increase: Eliminate the threats, above all do experimental manipulations, random assignment, and counterbalancing.

2,006 citations

01 Jun 2008

1,189 citations

Book
14 Feb 2019
TL;DR: The authors argued that the silent revolution in values triggered a backlash fuelling support for authoritarian-populist parties and leaders in the US and Europe, and highlighted the dangers of this development and what could be done to mitigate the risks to liberal democracy.
Abstract: Authoritarian populist parties have advanced in many countries, and entered government in states as diverse as Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Switzerland. Even small parties can still shift the policy agenda, as demonstrated by UKIP's role in catalyzing Brexit. Drawing on new evidence, this book advances a general theory why the silent revolution in values triggered a backlash fuelling support for authoritarian-populist parties and leaders in the US and Europe. The conclusion highlights the dangers of this development and what could be done to mitigate the risks to liberal democracy.

360 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The introduction to a special International Journal of Press/Politics (IJPP) issue on populism articulate and define populism as a communication phenomenon and offers an overview of populist political communication research and its current foci.
Abstract: In this article, the introduction to a special International Journal of Press/Politics (IJPP) issue on populism, we articulate and define populism as a communication phenomenon. We provide an overview of populist political communication research and its current foci. We offer a framework for ongoing research and set the boundary conditions for a new generation of research on populist political communication, with an aim to push the research agendas and design toward a more interactive, systematic, and in particular, comparative approach to the study of populist political communication.

258 citations


Cites background from "Flank attacks : Populism and left-r..."

  • ...Earlier work has focused on speeches, rallies, manifestos, and campaign advertising (e.g., Bos et al. 2011; Rooduijn and Akkerman 2017; Schmuck and Matthes 2017)....

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References
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a clear and new definition of populism is presented and the normal-pathology thesis is rejected; instead, it is argued that today populist discourse has become mainstream in the politics of western democracies and one can even speak of a populist Zeitgeist.
Abstract: Since the 1980s the rise of so-called ‘populist parties’ has given rise to thousands of books, articles, columns and editorials. This article aims to make a threefold contribution to the current debate on populism in liberal democracies. First, a clear and new definition of populism is presented. Second, the normal-pathology thesis is rejected; instead it is argued that today populist discourse has become mainstream in the politics of western democracies. Indeed, one can even speak of a populist Zeitgeist. Third, it is argued that the explanations of and reactions to the current populist Zeitgeist are seriously flawed and might actually strengthen rather than weaken it.

2,957 citations


"Flank attacks : Populism and left-r..." refers background in this paper

  • ...In studies that assess the causes of this populist upsurge (see Arzheimer, 2009; Bélanger and Aarts, 2006; Hakhverdian and Koop, 2007; Ivarsflaten, 2008; Lubbers et al., 2002; Mudde, 2004; Pauwels, 2014; Van der Brug et al., 2000, 2005) or the consequences of their successes (see Akkerman, 2012; Akkerman and De Lange, 2012; Albertazzi and McDonnell, 2010; Albertazzi et al....

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  • ...Although there is increasing agreement on how to define the term (Hawkins et al., 2012), populism can still be seen as a highly contested concept, which makes it of essential importance to pay critical attention to its definition (Canovan, 2004; Mudde, 2004; Taggart, 2000)....

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  • ...…ideology means that it differs from full ideologies such as liberalism, socialism and conservatism in that it does not offer an all-inclusive worldview, but only focuses on specific elements of the relationship between the people and the elite (Canovan, 2002; Freeden, 1998; Mudde, 2004)....

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  • ...Some scholars refer to this set of ideas as a ‘discourse’ (Hawkins, 2010; Laclau, 2005), whereas others have employed the term ‘ideology’ (Canovan, 2002; Mudde, 2004; Stanley, 2008)....

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  • ..., 2012), populism can still be seen as a highly contested concept, which makes it of essential importance to pay critical attention to its definition (Canovan, 2004; Mudde, 2004; Taggart, 2000)....

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Book
01 Jan 2005
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a critical reading of the existing literature on populism, demonstrating its dependency on the basic categories elaborated by theorists of "mass psychology", from Taine and Le Bon to Tarde, McDougall and Freud.
Abstract: In this new and highly original work Ernesto Laclau continues the philosophical and political exploration initiated in Hegemony and Socialist Strategy, New Reflections on the Revolution of Our Time and Emancipation(s). his topic here is the construction of popular identities, conceived in a wide sense covering the ensemble of strategies making possible the emergence of the 'people' as a collective actor. The book skilfully combines theoretical analysis with a myriad of empirical references from numerous historical and geographical contexts. The first part presents a critical reading of the existing literature on populism, demonstrating its dependency on the basic categories elaborated by theorists of 'mass psychology', from Taine and Le Bon to Tarde, McDougall and Freud. The second part forms the main theoretical core of the work, where the question of the emergence of the 'people' as a political and social force is treated. Several categories already present in Laclau's work - such as empty and floating signifiers, hegemony and heterogeneity - are developed here in new and innovative directions. In particular, the relation of populism to democracy and to the logic of representation is given special emphasis. The third part is devoted to particular case studies of both the conditions leading to the emergence of the 'people' and the obstacles preventing its formation. Finally, in a concluding chapter, Laclau locates the question of popular identities within the context of a globalized world and differentiates his approach from those of other theoreticians such as Zizek, Hardt and Negri and Ranciere. This book is essential reading for all those interested in the question of political identities in present-day societies.

2,393 citations


"Flank attacks : Populism and left-r..." refers background in this paper

  • ...Some scholars refer to this set of ideas as a ‘discourse’ (Hawkins, 2010; Laclau, 2005), whereas others have employed the term ‘ideology’ (Canovan, 2002; Mudde, 2004; Stanley, 2008)....

    [...]

  • ...The antagonistic relationship between the people and the elite is at the core of the populist worldview (Laclau, 2005; Panizza, 2005)....

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  • ...Populism has been defined has a form of organization, as a style, as a discourse, as a strategy and as an ideology (Hawkins, 2009; Jagers and Walgrave, 2007; Laclau, 2005; Mudde, 2004; Taggart, 1995; Weyland, 2001)....

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Book
29 Jun 1990
TL;DR: The transformation of nationalism, 1870-1918, and the apogee of nationalism in the late twentieth century is discussed in this article, where the authors discuss the role of the government perspective in this process.
Abstract: Preface Introduction 1. The nation as novelty: from revolution to liberalism 2. Popular proto-nationalism 3. The government perspective 4. The transformation of nationalism, 1870-1918 5. The apogee of nationalism, 1918-1950 6. Nationalism in the late twentieth century.

2,235 citations


"Flank attacks : Populism and left-r..." refers background in this paper

  • ...The main critique is that elites neglect the interests of the people (Hobsbawm, 1990)....

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Journal Article
TL;DR: Definition: To what extent does the study allow us to draw conclusions about a causal effect between two or more constructs?
Abstract: Definition: To what extent does the study allow us to draw conclusions about a causal effect between two or more constructs? Issues: Selection, maturation, history, mortality, testing, regression towrd the mean, selection by maturation, treatment by mortality, treatment by testing, measured treatment variables Increase: Eliminate the threats, above all do experimental manipulations, random assignment, and counterbalancing.

2,006 citations


"Flank attacks : Populism and left-r..." refers background or methods in this paper

  • ..., 2014; Rooduijn and Pauwels, 2011) are combined with information about the ideological position of these parties, coming from the Chapel Hill Expert Survey (CHES) (Hooghe et al., 2010; Steenbergen and Marks, 2007) and the Comparative Manifestos Project (CMP) (Volkens et al....

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  • ...…appropriate for categorizing political parties, we have decided to employ both.8 Regarding the matter of degrees approach, we measured the left-right position of a party with the general left-right scores from the Chapel Hill Expert Surveys (CHES) (Hooghe et al., 2010; Steenbergen and Marks, 2007)....

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  • ...Regarding the matter of degrees approach, we measured the left-right position of a party with the general left-right scores from the Chapel Hill Expert Surveys (CHES) (Hooghe et al., 2010; Steenbergen and Marks, 2007)....

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  • ...…(Rooduijn et al., 2014; Rooduijn and Pauwels, 2011) are combined with information about the ideological position of these parties, coming from the Chapel Hill Expert Survey (CHES) (Hooghe et al., 2010; Steenbergen and Marks, 2007) and the Comparative Manifestos Project (CMP) (Volkens et al., 2012)....

    [...]