The Politico-Populist Pathology

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demagogy – promises to the People that violate the Law in exchange for votes; tactic in the competition for the control of public power

populism - a hypothetical antagonism between the People and “enemies” of the People supposedly responsible for the inequality in wealth and power between the members of the State

corruption – the weakening of a Society because of violations to the Law by public power

nepotism – the tendency to use public power to benefit family or allies

polarization – division among the members of a State in two polar antagonist factions that struggle for power to control public power in violation of the Law

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CONTEXT FOR THE TERMS

In order to get elected, politicians often resort to an ideology that seems fair, but is dangerously pathological: populism. Populism, in its simplest terms, is a hypothetical antagonism between the People and “enemies” of the People supposedly responsible for the inequality in wealth and power between the members of the Society.

The danger in populism is in the assumption that it justifies the use of force against those identified as “enemies of the People” without impartial trials to determine if they really have violated the Law.

In a State where the majority believes the populist fallacy, political parties and factions compete for access to public force promising “justice,” promising to prosecute the “enemies” and to balance power and wealth in Society, by force.

Upon arriving in government, the first attack of the populist politicians is to the Law, to the liberty and property of the members of the Society. With legislation approved by a majority in legislature, signed by the chief of State, and not challenged by the judicial branch, the function of government changes from enforcing the Law to systematically violating it, reducing and eventually eliminating liberty, a space safe from coercion and deceit, and any chance of achieving any kind of equality, equity, and solidarity.

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Propagada poster - World War II posts and documents University of Minnesota, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15113820