The Humanist Cafe
Episode #319
Discussion Forum
Free* And Open To All!
Wednesday, October 4, 2023 – 7:00-8:30 pm
Cook Street Activity Center
380 Cook St. (Cook St. Village), Victoria
Free Parking
Please Use The Side Entrance
Coffee/Tea nearby at The Mocha House – BYO!
Discussion Topic: Populism – Governments Of The People?: The Rise Of Right-Wing Governments
Moderator: John Pope
Since about 2014 there has been a noticeable surge in right-wing political populism across various countries. Populist leaders and movements gained momentum by emphasizing nationalist and anti-establishment sentiments. They often portrayed themselves as champions of the “silent majority”, and used social media extensively to communicate with their supporters.
This rise in right-wing populism was evident in events such as the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom, the election of Donald Trump as the President of the United States, and the emergence of leaders like Viktor Orbán in Hungary and Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil. These movements often focused on issues such as immigration control, economic nationalism, and skepticism towards international institutions.
What is fueling this surge of populism? Let’s discuss.
Informative links:
“Recent elections in Italy and Sweden have been resounding successes for right-wing populist parties”: https://www.pewresearch.org/
“In new research, Cyril Hédoin and Alexandre Chirat use the rational-choice theory of economist Anthony Downs to explain how populism rationally arises to challenge established institutions of liberal democracy.”: https://www.promarket.org/
“Poilievre has been described as a “21st-century populist,” embracing the language of populism and the fundamental anti-elite attitude.”: https://www.mironline.ca/
Questions:
What is fueling this surge of populism? Anger? Social media? Fear?
Does disinformation travel faster than truthful information?
Can a minority of public opinion be responsible for denying action on vital and threatening issues?
What would change if right-wing populists come to power everywhere?
What about left-wing populism?
