One of the most conspicuous gaps in the now voluminous literature on populism is an understanding of populism in historical context. To what extent is contemporary populism a distinctively modern phenomenon? What are its roots and precedents in earlier periods of political history? And how can studying populism in the light of rhetoric and the history of political thought help us answer these questions?
Bringing together the work of an international group of eminent political theorists,
Populism, Demagoguery, and Rhetoric in Historical Perspective
explores the connections between contemporary populism, populist rhetoric, and a wide range of thinkers and topics in the history of political thought, from the ancient to the modern world. Its chapters demonstrate links between contemporary populism and the tradition of rhetoric: for instance, disputes over populist and elitist approaches to rhetorical persuasion, conflicts between the technical expertise of "the few" and the lay opinions of "the many," and debates over models of political leadership and civic education. The volume also draws new connections between populism and demagoguery, a phenomenon that has been discussed by political theorists and philosophers since antiquity. Contributors explore the significant conceptual overlaps between populism and demagoguery (such as their relation to manipulative or flattering rhetoric, and their resistance to systematic analysis), as well as their important differences (such as populism's comparatively greater ideological content). With this wide range of connections in mind, the volume draws on diverse perspectives and methodologies to theorize populist politics in historical perspective, and to enrich the debate surrounding it.