On the debates on populism
On the debates on populism
- Fernando Dores Costa
- 2021
- Práticas da História – Journal on Theory, Historiography and Uses of the Past
- Issue 12
- 161–179
- Language: Portuguese
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.48487/pdh.2021.n12.24968
- ISSN: 2183-590X
Populism is founded on the social effectiveness of a simple opposition between the “people” and the “politicians” accused of taking the state to their advantage. This opposition does not include a criticism of social structuring, considered as a dimension of a “natural” quality, but only the denunciation of abuses. This tradition of “simplicity” is illustrated in the “myth” in Georges Sorel or in the “people” in Ernesto Laclau. It is still the “simplicity” found in the identification of an enemy as diabolical, in the tradition of the image of the “free-masons” and “jacobins” or of anti-communism. In order to be socially perceived and experienced by many people, a conflict has to appear as a cleavage between two and only two forces.
Key-words:
populism, elitist democracy, people, George Sorel, anticommunism
Other publications
Search
Events
outubro, 2026
seg
ter
qua
qui
sex
sab
dom
-
-
-
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
News
History is at School! — IHC’s school programme for 2026/2027
The History in the Public Sphere Programme is relaunching the project this academic year
IHC to host 13 new CEEC contracts from the FCT
Six Junior Researchers and seven Assistant Researchers
IHC supports exhibition on the Spanish Civil War
The exhibition will open on 29 September at FCSH
