populism vs democracy (abt and rummens)

Question 1

two strand model

Answer 1

considers constitutional democracy to involve two paradoxical pillars;
1) liberal/constitutional, which emphasizes indiv. rights and rule of law
2) democratic pillar, emphasizing participation and pop. sovereignty
populism is therefore a part of the dem. pillar, and thus inherently part of const. dem., and is only a threat when it overshadows the liberal pillar

Question 2

probs w two strand model

Answer 2

overemphasizes paradoxical aspect of const. democracy
because of emphasis on connection between populism and dem. pillar, we lose the ability to analyze when populism becomes a threat

Question 3

model of three logics

Answer 3

const. democracy defined by demand that locus of power should remain an empty space.
this logic can degenerate in two ways:
1) liberalism; locus of power disappears and is replaced by anonymous rule of law
2)populism; locus of power closed by image of the people as a homogenous unity

Question 4

symptoms of populism

Answer 4

politics of personality centered on a charismatic leader who embodies will of the common ppl and speaks on their behalf. so, characterized by a style of communication
offer simplistic solutions to complicated probs in simple language, denouncing intellectualism of the elite

Question 5

underlying core ideology of populism

Answer 5

a thin-centered (only focusing on certain aspects of political discourse) ideology concerning the power structure of society

Question 6

Carl schmitt; democracy as “substantial identity” of the citizens

Answer 6

the citizens, as a political community, are a homogenous body w/ a single popular will; the volonte general, expressed through public opinion (in his day, showing up at rallies and cheering for what they agreed w). encompasses identities of ruler and subjects.

Question 7

what differentiates populism and democracy

Answer 7

populism at odds w dem. ideal of representation; because non-immediate rep would remove the people’s sovereignty.
in populism, no need for deliberation or participation

in populism, ppl are “forced to be free” bc they must give up their individ. constitutional rights to go w the will of the people

populism has a “vertical structure of antagonisms” which means that bc of emphasis on homogeneity, anything that isn’t part of the group is opposite and evil; there’s the ppl at the bottom (criminals, foreigners, pervs, etc), who are threataning, us, the ppl, and them, the elite, who are at the top. for dems, there is vertical agonism, in which political opponents aren’t enemies but adversaries, still respected.

Question 8

the only way a populist regime can continue successfully

Answer 8

by becoming somewhat totalitarian; to maintain the homogenous image of the ppl as one, they must remove all potential political opponents/divergence.