How Can Populists Be Defeated?

In recent years, populism has gained remarkable traction across the globe. If you see populists as leaders who stoke division and who peddle simplistic solutions that, for all their superficial appeal, cannot succeed – then the rise of populists is an unqualified bad. 

So what can liberals (broadly understood as people who recognize social diversity and complexity in policy challenges) do about populism’s rise?

A new article in our partner journal, the Political Quarterly seeks to answer both of these questions. It delves into different theories of voting behaviour to understand the roots of populist strength, and explores what the optimal strategy may be through which liberals can respond. The authors joining us today are: 

• Dr Daniel Brieba, Assistant Professor at the School of Government at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez in Chile
• Professor Andrés Velasco, Professor of Public Policy and Dean of the School of Public Policy at the London School of Economics. 

Mentioned in this episode:

• 'The Populist Playbook: Why Identity Trumps Policy and How Democrats Can Adapt' by Daniel Brieba and Andrés Velasco