WEBVTT 00:00:06.685 --> 00:00:11.032 In the mid-1970s, after decades of political turmoil, 00:00:11.032 --> 00:00:14.692 Greece finally seemed to be on the path to stability. 00:00:14.692 --> 00:00:17.092 With the introduction of a new constitution 00:00:17.092 --> 00:00:21.092 and negotiations underway to enter European institutions, 00:00:21.092 --> 00:00:23.702 many analysts expected Greek politics 00:00:23.702 --> 00:00:27.072 to follow the pattern of the larger Western world. 00:00:27.072 --> 00:00:32.398 Then in 1981, a political party called PASOK came to power. 00:00:32.398 --> 00:00:37.585 Its charismatic leader Andreas Papandreou railed against the new constitution, 00:00:37.585 --> 00:00:42.015 and accused those in power of “national betrayal.” 00:00:42.015 --> 00:00:46.687 Opposing Greece’s membership in NATO and the European Economic Community, 00:00:46.687 --> 00:00:50.769 Papandreou promised to govern for the betterment of the “common people" 00:00:50.769 --> 00:00:52.649 above all else. 00:00:52.649 --> 00:00:58.651 He famously declared, “there are no institutions, only the people exist.” NOTE Paragraph 00:00:58.651 --> 00:01:02.191 Papandreou’s rise to power isn’t a unique story. 00:01:02.191 --> 00:01:04.771 In many democratic countries around the world, 00:01:04.771 --> 00:01:08.032 charismatic leaders vilify political opponents, 00:01:08.032 --> 00:01:12.582 disparage institutions, and claim the mantle of the people. 00:01:12.582 --> 00:01:16.876 Some critics label this approach as authoritarian or fascist, 00:01:16.876 --> 00:01:20.236 and many argue that these leaders are using emotions 00:01:20.236 --> 00:01:23.156 to manipulate and deceive voters. 00:01:23.156 --> 00:01:28.409 But whether or not this style of politics is ethical, it's certainly democratic, 00:01:28.409 --> 00:01:31.879 and it goes by the name of populism. NOTE Paragraph 00:01:31.879 --> 00:01:35.009 The term populism has been around since Ancient Rome, 00:01:35.009 --> 00:01:39.577 and has its roots in the Latin word “populus” meaning “the people." 00:01:39.577 --> 00:01:44.704 But since then populism has been used to describe dozens of political movements, 00:01:44.704 --> 00:01:48.704 often with counterintuitive and sometimes contradictory goals. 00:01:48.704 --> 00:01:52.584 Populist movements have rebelled against monarchies, monopolies, 00:01:52.584 --> 00:01:55.974 and a wide variety of powerful institutions. NOTE Paragraph 00:01:55.974 --> 00:01:59.614 It’s not possible to cover the full history of this term here. 00:01:59.614 --> 00:02:03.722 Instead, we’re focusing on one specific type of populism— 00:02:03.722 --> 00:02:06.412 the kind that describes Papandreou’s administration 00:02:06.412 --> 00:02:12.107 and numerous other governments over the last 70 years: modern populism. 00:02:12.107 --> 00:02:16.549 But to understand how political theorists define this phenomenon 00:02:16.549 --> 00:02:20.605 we first need to explore what it’s responding to. NOTE Paragraph 00:02:20.605 --> 00:02:22.465 In the aftermath of World War Two, 00:02:22.465 --> 00:02:26.858 many countries wanted to move away from totalitarian ideologies. 00:02:26.858 --> 00:02:28.812 They sought a new political system 00:02:28.812 --> 00:02:31.722 that prioritized individual and social rights, 00:02:31.722 --> 00:02:36.029 aimed at political consensus, and respected the rule of law. 00:02:36.029 --> 00:02:41.352 As a result, most Western nations adopted a longstanding form of government 00:02:41.352 --> 00:02:43.382 called liberal democracy. 00:02:43.382 --> 00:02:46.862 In this context, “liberal” doesn’t refer to any political party, 00:02:46.862 --> 00:02:51.434 but rather a type of democracy that has three essential components. 00:02:51.434 --> 00:02:54.578 First, liberal democracies accept that society 00:02:54.578 --> 00:02:59.278 is full of many, often crosscutting divisions that generate conflict. 00:02:59.278 --> 00:03:02.338 Second, it requires that society’s many factions 00:03:02.338 --> 00:03:05.628 seek common ground across those divisions. 00:03:05.628 --> 00:03:09.138 Finally, liberal democracies rely on the rule of law 00:03:09.138 --> 00:03:11.608 and the protection of minority rights, 00:03:11.608 --> 00:03:15.308 as specified in constitutions and legal statutes. 00:03:15.308 --> 00:03:17.873 Taken together, these ideals propose 00:03:17.873 --> 00:03:22.308 that tolerance and institutions that protect us from intolerance, 00:03:22.308 --> 00:03:27.225 are the bedrock of a functional and diverse democratic society. NOTE Paragraph 00:03:27.225 --> 00:03:31.225 Liberal democracies helped bring stability to the nations that adopted them. 00:03:31.225 --> 00:03:35.405 But like any system of government, they didn’t solve everything. 00:03:35.405 --> 00:03:38.965 Among other issues, an ever-increasing wealth gap 00:03:38.965 --> 00:03:41.275 led to underserved communities 00:03:41.275 --> 00:03:45.914 who distrusted both their wealthy neighbors and their political leaders. 00:03:45.914 --> 00:03:51.474 In some cases, political corruption further damaged the public's trust. 00:03:51.474 --> 00:03:54.824 Growing suspicion and resentment around these politicians 00:03:54.824 --> 00:03:57.974 primed citizens to look for a new kind of leader 00:03:57.974 --> 00:04:00.394 who would challenge established institutions 00:04:00.394 --> 00:04:03.224 and put the needs of the people first. NOTE Paragraph 00:04:03.224 --> 00:04:07.495 In many ways, this reaction highlights democracy in action: 00:04:07.495 --> 00:04:12.207 if the majority of a population feels their interests are underrepresented, 00:04:12.207 --> 00:04:17.144 they can elect leaders to change that using existing democratic systems. 00:04:17.144 --> 00:04:23.004 But this is where assertive, modern populist candidates can subvert democracy. NOTE Paragraph 00:04:23.004 --> 00:04:28.568 Modern populists identify themselves as embodying the "will of the people," 00:04:28.568 --> 00:04:30.478 and they place those interests 00:04:30.478 --> 00:04:35.487 above the institutions that protect individual and social rights. 00:04:35.487 --> 00:04:38.457 Modern populists argue these institutions 00:04:38.457 --> 00:04:41.567 are run by a self-serving ruling minority, 00:04:41.567 --> 00:04:45.771 who seek to control the vast majority of virtuous common people. 00:04:45.771 --> 00:04:51.147 As a result, politics is no longer about seeking compromise and consensus 00:04:51.147 --> 00:04:53.947 through tolerant democratic institutions. 00:04:53.947 --> 00:04:59.676 Instead, these leaders seek to overturn what they see as a broken system. 00:04:59.676 --> 00:05:04.225 This means that where a liberal democracy has the utmost respect for institutions 00:05:04.225 --> 00:05:08.225 like courtrooms, free press, and national constitutions, 00:05:08.225 --> 00:05:12.860 modern populists disparage any establishment that disagrees 00:05:12.860 --> 00:05:15.560 with the so-called “common will." NOTE Paragraph 00:05:15.560 --> 00:05:18.720 Modern populist parties have arisen in many places, 00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:22.490 but the leaders of these movements are remarkably similar. 00:05:22.490 --> 00:05:24.560 They’re often charismatic individuals 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:28.804 who identify themselves as embodying the “will of the people." 00:05:28.804 --> 00:05:31.634 They make exorbitant promises to their supporters, 00:05:31.634 --> 00:05:36.730 while casting their opponents as traitors actively undermining the country. 00:05:36.730 --> 00:05:41.736 But whether these politicians are sincere believers or manipulative opportunists, 00:05:41.736 --> 00:05:43.386 the dynamics they unleash 00:05:43.386 --> 00:05:47.386 can be profoundly destabilizing for liberal democracy. 00:05:47.386 --> 00:05:50.296 Even when modern populist leaders don’t follow through 00:05:50.296 --> 00:05:52.676 with their most extreme promises, 00:05:52.676 --> 00:05:57.652 their impact on political discourse, the rule of law, and public trust 00:05:57.652 --> 00:06:00.582 can long outlast their time in office.