Democracy's Resilience to Populism's Threat: Countering Global Alarmism

Populist governments have been a threat to democracy, but Kurt Weyland's new book shows that they can only destroy democracy under special, restrictive conditions. Left-wing populists suffocate democracy when benefitting from revenue windfalls, while right-wing populists must resolve acute, severe crises. Weyland proves that despite populism's threat, democracy remains resilient.

Format: Hardback
Length: 322 pages
Publication date: 25 January 2024
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The recent surge of populist governments, culminating in Donald Trump's victory in 2016, has raised concerns among many observers about the threat posed to democracy. In his new book, Kurt Weyland challenges the prevailing scholarship that tends to focus solely on cases where populist leaders have successfully undermined democratic institutions. Instead, Weyland proposes a more comprehensive approach by examining the numerous instances where would-be populist-authoritarians have failed to overthrow democracy.

To accomplish this, Weyland conducts a systematic comparative analysis of thirty populist chief executives in Latin America and Europe over the past four decades. Through this research, he reveals that populist leaders can only destroy democracy under specific and restrictive conditions. On the left side of the political spectrum, left-wing populists tend to suffocate democracy when they benefit from substantial revenue windfalls. In contrast, right-wing populists must undertake the remarkable feat of resolving acute and severe crises to undermine democracy.

Weyland's findings demonstrate that many populist chief executives do not encounter these favorable conditions, thus reinforcing the resilience of democracy despite the perceived threat posed by populism. His book offers valuable insights into the dynamics and strategies employed by populist leaders, as well as the factors that contribute to their success or failure in undermining democratic institutions. By broadening the scope of analysis, Weyland provides a more nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing democracies in the contemporary world.

Weight: 594g
Dimension: 160 x 236 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781009432467