The Dangers of Populism - Interview with Jan-Werner Müller

Professor of Politics at Princeton University and leading expert on populism, Jan-Werner recently gave a lecture at the Council of Europe entitled "How Populism endangers Democracy - and how to fight it".
One of the world's leading experts on populism, Professor Müller defines populists as a kind of "moral majority" who regard anyone who disagrees with them as either illegitimate or disloyal to the "will of the people". According to Professor Müller, this approach represents a real danger to democracy, because it could lead to the tyranny of the majority over the minority.
Speaking about the European Union, he advocates the upholding of basic democratic standards in all of its member states, including Poland and Hungary, even if this requires the imposition of sanctions.
Further afield, he urges democrats to call out contradictions and expose misleading propaganda espoused by the populists, and to put pressure on supporters of populism within mainstream parties, who either adopt populist policies themselves, or who allow populists to gain power.

[@simple_present]

This professor has such a soothing voice

[@lukeb8045]

Jan-Werner's answer is we will go to our own well respected experts and we will dictate to you what is democracy or not.

[@emilykrahn3185]

Very good, thank you.

[@i.j.f.2200]

So speaking out against the EU is “dangerous” lol give me a break😂

[@albinjohnsson2511]

Nice way of illustrating you didn't get what he said at all

[@Linneom]

No it’s the lack of reason. From both sides

[@Nate-wf5hk]

Some amount of populism can be good but it shouldn’t take over policy based discussions, if everybody in politics is just an actor then it turn into a play

[@hassanrajput9576]

Great

[@terrytytula]

What seems to be totally overlooked is the reason for the rise in populism. It has to do with the obscene imbalance in wealth and power, where a handful of people own everything. The fathers of american democracy were aware that this imbalance could occur , as a way to correct the situation the created the 2nd amendment, A way for the people to rise up and "trim the tree of democracy".

[@klowen7778]

So by "trim the tree of democracy", you basically mean *_less_* of that pesky 'overgrown' kinda democracy?!

[@afcansf5996]

@ Terry Tytula Not only the American founding fathers, most democratic nations have people who forsaw all these things. To that extend the US isnt anything special.

[@utubemewatch]

@@afcansf5996 if you can’t see the glaring differences between those nation-states and the US, then you don’t understand the discussion. The 5 years following this video however, should make it very clear.

[@utubemewatch]

@@klowen7778 first, the US is a constitutional republic. Thank the founders we aren’t a pure democracy which by definition is mob rule. The US has Democratic features to determine the will of the people, the sovereign without allowing mob rule to eliminate natural rights of individuals and minority rights. This balancing act is also achieved through federalism. So when despots, mobs, authoritarians, and progressive totalitarians threaten this constitutional republic, these numerous states United through federalism, it’s called trimming the tree. Ever notice just all that authoritarian despots claim to be “democratic” pure democracy was the foundational principle of modern totalitarians-with notions like they will force you to be free, and claiming to know the true will of the people. You watch too much bad news, cable propaganda, and partisan establishment hacks claiming to be the only true reporters giving you the truth-junior authoritarians indeed!

[@klowen7778]

​@@utubemewatch ​Geez, between the screeds and 'haughtiness'. why do all authoritarian types sound alike? Though apologies, guess I shoulda known that only *_you_* have 'THE TRUTH'?!! ;-p

[@watcher5729]

They always need a cause to manufacture consent and opinion gain.targeting a scapegoat cause as a means of c9hesion

[@TwistyTrav]

I don't get why Populism gets so much hate... How is it NOT the purest form of democracy? Sure, it constantly follows the majority opinion to get votes. In the political world, that might seem like cheating or having no backbone. But in reality, it means more people are being better represented by their government, even as socio-political opinions shift dynamically. Listening to the polls from citizens views on every issue is not a bad thing. A healthy democracy doesn't absolutely need to be partisan all the time. Division is a path to authoritarianism. When the majority finally agrees on something, its fuel for progress. To my understanding, the scary part of Populism for most people is because it allows political goals to be free-floating in whichever direction the majority of people wishes it to go. They are labelled neither Conservative, nor Liberal... so what are they? What ideals to they stand behind? Newsflash - it doesn't automatically make a politician dishonest to change their policies to align with what the majority of people want. Why should a politician be limited to that of a pre-defined identity anyway? Politicians themselves are only in power because they are meant to be representatives of the majority, are they not? A leader isn't meant to personify a singular political opinion above all else. And let's face it, society is filled with many colorful opinions which don't always fit exactly within the lines of left or right politics.

[@richardnixon7248]

It is and that's bad

[@TwistyTrav]

@@richardnixon7248 Democracy is bad?

[@AnglephileSwedenGerman]

Democracy leads to authoritarianism, always has , it's the definition,do you think it is Greek for the way of the ppl ? No it means the way of a family of ppl that have father mother children ...the father has the final say n we know democracy leads to a dictator sooooo why not a constitutional Republic eh mate?

[@sydneywaffles5292]

Populism a political party seeking to represent the interests of ordinary people. A person who supports or seeks to appeal to the interests of ordinary people. English dictionary puts it this way representing or appealing to the interest and opinions of ordinary people. What democracies refer to as democracy a form of government in which the people have a voice. A state governed in such a way that it is controlled by the majority. Is that not what everybody wants democracy. why has populism/democracy become a crime within the ( unelected ) non-unified European Union.

[@cestlavie8328]

Sydney waffles Under a democratic country, we have liberal party, populist party, socialist party, communist party, Republican party, Democrats party ....... However as times go by, small parties absorb by bigger and eventually generalised into only 2 parties left in most countries. That means within these each parties there may be a lot of different believes too..... I getting annoyed.....

[@albinjohnsson2511]

That is not how political scientists use the term. He explicitly defines it in the very first minute of the interview, so either you are intentionally conflating two different uses of the term, or you did not get what he said.

[@doyoumind9356]

There's this opinion poll and it finds there are far few Muslims in the US than people think. Popular opinion says 17% of the population are Muslim. In reality the number is more like 1%. Criticise the statistic and miss the point. I'm using it as an example of how Populism works. The Populist sticks with 17% because thats a chunk of votes. Never contradict popular perception.

[@jamesedwards.1069]

"Popular opinion says 17% of the population are Muslim. In reality the number is more like 1%. Criticise the statistic and miss the point." I think you miss the point. If people complain about the 17% dog shit in their ice crème, do you think they will care if you try to correct them by pointing out that there is only 1% dog shit in their ice crème? You would look like a stupid asshole working for the ice crème company if you did that. Or maybe working for the dog shit company, I don't know.

[@doyoumind9356]

James Edward S. Eh ? Perhaps if you'd used an analogy that bore ANY resemblance to the real world. Dog shit in ice cream 😂😂😂😂. However let's play along with this .. obviously I don't want dog shit in my ice cream. But it's ONLY an analogy .. no-one puts dog shit in ice cream. Only an arsewipe would use that story to illustrate anything about the human world. So SURELY not you then ?

[@doyoumind9356]

James Edward S. By the way you do hateful pretty well but I read worse. One woman made the hairs on the back of my neck bristle. Her view of a certain persons smile "That bitch is celebrating the end of whites in their homeland". Something about the way she was read SO MUCH that really isn't there.

[@jamesedwards.1069]

The dog shit in the ice crème metaphor is just the way I express my own preference for having zero zip nada migrants in my country. The more migrants there are the less I like them and the more I wish they'd go back home. All migrants, from anywhere, of any kind. I'm sick of migrants. I don't care if I'm descended from migrants my self, the day of migrating is over and it's time for people to respect borders because of all the sunk investments involved in the nations of the world, for one thing. Most of all I'm sick of being told by Marxist Globalists that I have to love migrants and celebrate their migration in to my country. As much as I dislike the migrants the ones I really hate without measure are the Marxist Globalists. There can be no doubt that the Marxist Globalists are rearranging the world's populations to suit their own greedy nefarious evil rotten demonic purposes.

[@doyoumind9356]

James Edward S. I would never have known that I'm a Globalist if I hadn't started watching stuff on KZbin. Sometimes at my most flippant I'll say I'm a Globalist because I get on with the neighbours .. but there's something true in that quip. As for being a Marxist .. absolutely not .. not in the classical economic sense and only marginally in terms of "Cultural Marxist". I'm not repelled by diversity. I am sceptical about plans .. e.g. Kalergi. I think ( quoting John Lennon ) life is what happens while you're making plans. No one planned migration as it happened in centuries past. As for recent mass migration and Kalergi .. well, that's another debate and I'm at work with an immediate task.

[@sushrutabatsya]

The utter audacity in defining, "populism" without a single mention of "progressivism" is what created "populism" in the first place.

[@ryanpoplett5154]

progressivism didn't create populism

[@ThatOneAlbinoMofo]

@@ryanpoplett5154 Prove it

[@TheXtdesign]

Plain talk.

[@peuppeuppeup]

lol

[@lilylin1805]

You are talking about the concept of the "Extreme Right" instead of the central-right or the conservatives with common sense, which make up the majority of those who oppose Islamic migration. You make the "conservatives" sound like the "Extreme Right" and that is not only misleading; it is also sneaky! No one says that Europe or America should not accept vetted, constructive immigrants; they simply said that they should not be forced to accept unvetted migrants who have incompatible culture background and hostile attitude towards the local population and whose sole intention is to take advantage of the local welfare system and eventually, take over the whole country! Keeping these people out of their countriest is just common sense --- which people like you don't seem to have!

[@wanttogetfood]

Elite tier cancer

[@Linneom]

Unreasonable reactionary

[@Bekltuvanetko]

Our plan worked 🤓

[@kofola9145]

The dangers of Democracy.

[@upmperthay]

😂

[@TeacherFlash]

Exactly these types of people, gentle and kind are the reason why Europe can never as be great as America. We need to stop being kind and implement strong federal laws the way they did in America CENTURIES AGO. We need a constitution with first amendment and second amendment so we can all be free.

[@afcansf5996]

@ Animated Anatomy Europe was doing fine untill countries were deceived and/or forced into the EU/Euro. The only constitution I perceive to be legitimate is that of The Kingdom Of The Netherlands. Anything coming from the EU, I consider to be legislation of an occupying force. To my opinion Dutch Europhile politicians are nothing more than traitors/collaborators.

[@TeacherFlash]

@@afcansf5996 they were doing fine? You need to learn history... Here are a few keywords that will help you in studying the European history: ww2, holocaust, crusades, ww1, medieval age, destruction of the roman empire by the barbarians... Well just read any chapter of the European history and enjoy it... Then try to compare this retarded tribal contient with the U.S.A.. Until then, don't talk... do some studying.