How not to respond to populism

Journal article


Malkopoulou, Anthoula and Moffitt, Benjamin. (2023). How not to respond to populism. Comparative European Politics. pp. 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41295-023-00341-9
AuthorsMalkopoulou, Anthoula and Moffitt, Benjamin
Abstract

Although the nature and definition of populism are a source of considerable disagreement, there seems to be a minimal consensus by now that populism poses a number of threats to liberal democracy, and that public authorities should therefore act in defence of the latter. In searching for appropriate responses, however, most scholars draw from strategies for combatting anti-democratic or extremist parties, without considering the important differences between populist parties and these other political actors. We argue that the two central types of democratic defence—the ‘intolerant’ militant democratic defence and the ‘tolerant’ defence—do not offer satisfying responses to populist parties precisely because they were conceived and developed as responses to different phenomena. For public authorities to successfully address populism, responses need to contain its most egregious characteristics, yet salvage its productive side.

Keywordsresponses to populism; democratic self-defence; toleration; militant democracy; containing anti-democratic parties; resistance to democratic backsliding; democratic resilience
Year2023
JournalComparative European Politics
Journal citationpp. 1-18
PublisherPalgrave Macmillan Ltd.
ISSN1472-4790
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1057/s41295-023-00341-9
Scopus EID2-s2.0-85148249694
Web address (URL)https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41295-023-00341-9
Open accessPublished as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
Research or scholarlyResearch
Page range1-18
FunderUppsala University
Publisher's version
License
File Access Level
Open
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online10 Mar 2023
Publication process dates
Accepted04 Feb 2023
Deposited11 Jul 2023
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