Michael Kazin

Well, the dangerous side is pretty obvious, perhaps.

Well, the dangerous side is pretty obvious, perhaps.

It can be used by authoritarians, both on the right and the left, to evoke their, quote, people against an elite they think is dangerous to the country and to their rule and justify, legitimize authoritarianism, legitimize cracking down on that elite in the name of the people. But the opportunity, I think, for people who talk a populist language is that it evokes people

It can be used by authoritarians, both on the right and the left, to evoke their, quote, people against an elite they think is dangerous to the country and to their rule and justify, legitimize authoritarianism, legitimize cracking down on that elite in the name of the people. But the opportunity, I think, for people who talk a populist language is that it evokes people

The gap between the ideals of the society, which are usually wonderful ideals, freedom, equality, that people should rule in democratic societies anyway.

The gap between the ideals of the society, which are usually wonderful ideals, freedom, equality, that people should rule in democratic societies anyway.

Well, the dangerous side is pretty obvious, perhaps.

It can be used by authoritarians, both on the right and the left, to evoke their, quote, people against an elite they think is dangerous to the country and to their rule and justify, legitimize authoritarianism, legitimize cracking down on that elite in the name of the people. But the opportunity, I think, for people who talk a populist language is that it evokes people

The gap between the ideals of the society, which are usually wonderful ideals, freedom, equality, that people should rule in democratic societies anyway.