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The Populist Zeitgeist

2004/01/01 by Cas Mudde · 4,840 citations
Social Sciences · #Economic and Social Issues #German legal, social, and political studies #Law #Mainstream #Political economy #Political science #Politics #Populism #Populism, Right-Wing Movements #Sociology #Zeitgeist

paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/j.1477-7053.2004.00135.x

published in Government and Opposition 39(4), 541-563 (Cambridge University Press)

openalex publication_date 2004/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

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.

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