Genuine authoritarian populism succeeds by appearing reasonable and common.
Evidence
Blair’s authoritarian populism3 is far more sinister than V for Vendetta’s pantomime autocracy precisely because Blair is so successful at “presenting himself as the reasonable, honest bloke on the side of the common man”. Similarly, Bush’s linguistic incompetence, far from being an impediment to his success, has been crucial to it, since it has allowed him to pose as a “man of the people”, belying his privileged Harvard and Yale-educated background. — Mark Fisher (edited by Darren Ambrose), K-Punk, 493
Categorization
- XREF: connects to: Typical populist movements blend egalitarian and authoritarian elements — Ernesto Laclau, On Populist Reason, 7; Authoritarians fully accept communicator sincerity when the message suits them — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 1407; Common sense is a key route to hegemonic power in democracies (+2 more)
Broader Connections
- Thatcherism is authoritarian populism, not fascism, retaining popular consent
#exemplifies(0.85) - Common sense is a key route to hegemonic power in democracies
#expands(0.78) - Authoritarians fully accept communicator sincerity when the message suits them
#corroborates(0.75) — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 1407 - Authoritarians see themselves as righteous enforcers allied with legitimate authority
#complicates(0.75) — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 541