Populist movements and politicians are gaining popularity—winning elections across Europe and of course in the United States, where Trump was reelected despite the relentless slander and attacks on him, his administration, and his supporters. Indeed, “MAGA,” has become a movement in and of itself, representing the regular working class Americans the Democrats refused to respect or listen to. Despite having no attachment to any particular ideology, populism today is commonly labelled “far right,” “racist,” “authoritarian,” “fascist,” and dangerous. Why is this? What defines a populist movement? Will Canada ever see a populist uprising?
I spoke with Frank Furedi, professor of sociology at the University of Kent, executive director of MCC-Brussels, and author of In Defense of Populism, about all this and more.
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