Kirk Hawkins (Brigham Young University): US Populism - What is New, What is Not
In 2020, few scholars or commentators would have predicted the resurgence of Donald Trump and the populist forces of the right in the United States. With Trump’s reelection, we are forced to revisit what we know about populism, its consequences, and how to mitigate them. Populism — understood as a discourse framing politics as a struggle between the will of the common people and a conspiring elite — is a stronger element than ever in the rhetoric of Trump and his cabinet. This rhetoric is associated with an unusually fast effort by the Trump administration to reshape liberal democratic institutions, domestically and internationally. This situation is grave — but there are reasons for hope. Thinking about the populism in his government helps us identify the forces shaping voter demand, and they allow us to identify strategies for opposition. Ultimately, the Trump experience provides lessons for political scientists and democratic forces hoping to learn from this populist moment.