populism

noun

pop·​u·​lism ˈpä-pyə-ˌli-zəm 

plural populisms

1

: a political philosophy or movement that represents or is claimed to represent the interests of ordinary people especially against the Establishment (see establishment sense 2a)

Populism usually arises from a general discontent. … People feel that things are out of control, socially and economically. … The idea that this is the fault of the meritocratic elite is an easy sell.

—Nicholas Lemann

… anti-government populism is beginning to give way to the more classic, anti-corporate populism …

—Leslie Savan

… Elizabeth Warren summoned the familiar and fiery spirits of Democratic populism. "Our job is to fight for the families of America," the Massachusetts Senator yelled over applause. … "Stitch up the tax loopholes so that millionaires and billionaires pay at the same tax rate as the people in this room."

—Jay Newton-Small

There are few things more terrifying than demagogic populism, sharpened dangerously into authoritarian rule, with minorities left at the mercy of those now in charge of writing and enforcing the laws.

—George Takei

The move comes amid a rise in economic populism in the GOP, Republican strategist John Feehery told the Washington Examiner. Even as the party writ large is generally supportive of the business community, an insurgent crop of Republican lawmakers is pursuing a more working-class-friendly agenda …

—Samantha-Jo Roth

sometimes, specifically : the political and economic doctrines advocated by the Populists (see populist entry 1 sense 1b)

… the nativist populism of the 1890s, the political and social movement of poor and dispossessed farmers who saw the source of their plight as the controllers of money and the rule of gold …

—Daniel Bell

2

: general concern for ordinary people

… a profile of James Brown in Look, in February of 1969. The article celebrated Mr. Brown's business empire … and his populism (traveling a hundred thousand miles a year to reach three million fans where they lived; capping ticket prices at five dollars for adults and ninety-nine cents for children under twelve) …

—Philip Gourevitch

Examples of populism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Hill’s Jared Gans reports Murphy has been among the most prominent figures arguing for a new strategy to expand the party’s tent and for leaders to embrace economic populism to reconnect with voters whom the party has lost. —Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 9 Dec. 2024

From enacting tariffs on foreign goods to slashing taxes for both individuals and businesses, Trump’s vision of economic populism is about to be put to the test. —Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 26 Nov. 2024

Sanders sought to remedy the disease of the Democratic Party — its abandonment of economic populism and of the American dream. —Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 12 Nov. 2024

With just days until the election and a dead heat in most polls, both parties are vying for the mantle of economic populism. —Maria Flynn, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

Unfortunately, what the national GOP has now become is a party with few principles and an inability to check the toxic populism of its figurehead. —The Editorial Board, Orange County Register, 29 Oct. 2024

Business leaders are quick to abhor left-wing populism, with its government giveaways to supporters, spending on boondoggle projects, and disregard for financial discipline and investor confidence. —Roberto Stefan Foa rachel Kleinfeld, Harvard Business Review, 10 Oct. 2024

Henry Littlefield's 1964 article argues that the silver shoes, cast against the yellow brick road, collectively represent the silver and gold standards at the heart of populism's goals for the national economy. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 26 Nov. 2024

The results come off as populism with a point: Lamar slightly compromising his standards in an attempt to raise everyone else’s. —Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 26 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

probably from popul(ist) entry 1 + -ism

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined at sense 2