populism

[ pop-yuh-liz-uhm ]

noun

1. any of various, often antiestablishment or anti-intellectual political movements or philosophies that offer unorthodox solutions or policies and appeal to the common person rather than according with traditional party or partisan ideologies.
2. grass-roots democracy; working-class activism; egalitarianism.
3. representation or extolling of the common person, the working class, the underdog, etc.:

   populism in the arts.

4. (initial capital letter) the political philosophy of the People's party.

populism

/ ˈpɒpjʊˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. a political strategy based on a calculated appeal to the interests or prejudices of ordinary people

populism

1. The belief that greater popular participation in government and business is necessary to protect individuals from exploitation by inflexible bureaucracy and financial conglomerates . “Power to the people” is a famous populist slogan.

Other Words From

• anti-popu·lism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of populism¹

An Americanism first recorded in 1890–95; from Latin popul(us) “people” ( people, popular ) + -ism

Example Sentences

There’s a reason populism has enjoyed a moment for the last decade or so.

From Time

Most dangerously, it creates a sense of injustice and resentment that has stoked the right-wing populism that is shaking the foundations of liberal democracy.

From Time

As a child growing up in Minnesota in the 1930s and 1940s, Mondale sat in the front row of his father’s small Methodist church, listening to sermons that mixed Depression-bred economic populism with a concern for community.

From Washington Post

She staved off populism, welcomed refugees and calmly guided Europe through multiple crises.

From Ozy

The hollowing out of mid‑sized manufacturing cities in America’s Heartland has fueled the rise of populism on the right and left.

From Time

He has become the most radical pope in modern memory for his economic populism.

From The Daily Beast

Cohen thinks maybe some economic populism could work, and that could be true in limited circumstances.

From The Daily Beast

Will the party stand for economic populism, or will it welcome corporate and business allies?

From The Daily Beast

In addition to his temperamental aversion to populism, Roosevelt also had a practical reason to be cautious.

From The Daily Beast

This populism has left little room for Hamdeen Sabahi, the only other candidate in the election.

From The Daily Beast

To discredit a new proposition it was only necessary to observe that it was as dead as Populism.

From Project Gutenberg

The whole program of Populism he now viewed as a "sudden, dangerous, and revolutionary assault upon law and order."

From Project Gutenberg

The mission of Populism did not end when free silver had been driven like a wedge into all the parties.

From Project Gutenberg

If we fail to pass this agreement, we will embolden the purveyors of false populism in our hemisphere.

From Project Gutenberg

In the days of Populism they were more open-minded than the Americans.

From Project Gutenberg