[Answered] “Populist tendencies are threat to democratic institutions and unity of the nation”. Comment.

Populism refers to a range of political philosophies that emphasise the idea of the people and against the privileged elites. When important concerns of the people are not addressed by the elites, the populist movements form to challenge the establishment. There are multiple consequences of populism.

Populism: a threat to democratic institutions and unity of India.

1. Again representative institutions: Populism often turn against representative democracy. Populists reject pluralism. This threatens democracy and unity in diversity.
2. Authoritarianism: Populist movements are often led by charismatic leaders and have little internal democracy and accountability. These leaders tend to develop personality cults and, when they come to power, they often turn authoritarian.
3. Against democratic defences: Populism is a threat to democracy primarily because it holds the potential of providing the state with a moral status that it otherwise lacks. Once the state turns into the embodiment of the virtuous people the defense mechanisms developed against tyranny, such as freedoms, checks and balances, the rule of law, tolerance, autonomous social institutions, individual and group rights, or pluralism, are inevitably under threat.
4. Weak opposition: Populist often claim absolute moral superiority and possession of the whole truth. That makes them reject the legitimacy of the opponent. It erodes the respect for the dignity of political opponents and of minority groups and weakens the culture of reasoned debates. This lead to suppression of dissent which is major pillar of democracy.
5. Majoritarian nationalism: Populism of the right, tends to acquire the form of majoritarian nationalism, unconstrained by minority rights. Thus minority voices are suppressed and denied fundamental rights.
6. Corruption and abuse: It often results in a decline in rational debate about political issues. There is a high risk of corruption and abuse of power.
7. Divisive: Populist Nationalism is divisive and affects unity of the country. It cause damage to cohesiveness in the society by exploiting majority emotions.
8. Hostility: Populism is hostile to ethnic, religious and racial minorities, and inhospitable to new migrants. This endanger peace and security in the society.
9. Social polarisation: The populists exploit loopholes and issues in order to polarise society. They try to divide people along religious, racial or linguistic lines to win elections through majoritarian tactics.

Measures to tackle populism:

1. Social media should be regulated and held accountable for damaging a pluralistic, fact-based and hate-free political debate, in the same way as traditional media.
2. Civil society organizations defending human rights and equality against populism should agree on a common agenda and strategy across identity politics divides.
3. Participatory and deliberative platforms and initiatives (citizens’ assemblies, forums) should be embedded into the decision-making processes to balance the oligarchic tendencies of electoral democracy.
4. Political parties (established and emerging) should seek to propose inclusive visions and programs that deliver benefits for all citizens, not only for a part of the voters.
5. It is important to accept that not everyone’s standard of living will continually rise and some peoples net income will remain stagnant for years on end.

There is no doubt that division in the face of an organized populist threat is problematic. Only rational thinking rather than impulsive feelings and anger can solve the problems of our times.