Ideologies of the Practical, the Desirable and the Corrupt: Right-Wing Populism vs Liberal Democracy > Journal

Politics in the advanced industrialized democracies has become increasingly polarized around the divide between liberal democrats and right-wing populists. The aim here is to better understand the nature of this contest. Challenging the prevailing view among political scientists that rightwing populism constitutes only a ”thin” ideology, I argue that it represents a coherent vision of human nature, society, and governance that differs fundamentally from liberal democracy in its basic assumptions about the nature and dynamics of social life and the moral principles that guide it. Focusing on mutual accusations of corruption, I elucidate the ideological foundations that underlie each side’s vision of the other as a threat to what is true and good. The essay concludes with a brief consideration of two possible paths forward: deliberative engagement grounded in shared human concerns and fundamental beliefs, or strategic conflict driven by a recognition of irreconcilable differences.

Political Corruption: The Problem of Definition

The Liberal Democratic Conception of Politics and Corruption

The Right-Wing Populist Conception of Politics and Corruption

Concluding Remarks