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Demagogy is a special kind of vile and anti-democratic politics in a democracy, fomented by a special breed of despicable and repugnant politicians, that involves preying on the intellectual weaknesses and ignorance, coupled with economic desperation, of large sections of the masses. The central feature of demagogy, which is one of the Achilles' heel of all democracies (and interestingly can be traced as far back as Plato's time--see See Book 8 of his Republic, paragraphs 562b-569c), is the identification of scapegoats on the basis of one or more of such factors as race, ethnicity, class, gender, and so on, among the relatively politically weak and powerless; they then become the targets of his/her relentless lies, stereotyping, bullying, and othering in the service of populism—in this case right-wing populism. From this perspective, demagogy ultimately relies on the manufacture of the identity politics of “Us” versus “Them.”
Demagogy is a special kind of vile and anti-democratic politics in a democracy, fomented by a special breed of despicable and repugnant politicians, that involves preying on the intellectual weaknesses and ignorance, coupled with economic desperation, of large sections of the masses. The central feature of demagogy, which is one of the Achilles' heel of all democracies (and interestingly can be traced as far back as Plato's time--see See Book 8 of his Republic, paragraphs 562b-569c), is the identification of scapegoats on the basis of one or more of such factors as race, ethnicity, class, gender, and so on, among the relatively politically weak and powerless; they then become the targets of his/her relentless lies, stereotyping, bullying, and othering in the service of populism—in this case right-wing populism. From this perspective, demagogy ultimately relies on the manufacture of the identity politics of “Us” versus “Them.”
There are other two key features of demagogy: one is the “politics of mass distraction” involving the substitution of the objective interests of those among the masses initially drawn to the demagogue on promises of meaningfully addressing them, e.g., in the U.S., unemployment, income inequality, access to affordable healthcare, access to affordable housing, etc., with their subjective interests (“weapons of mass distraction”), e.g., their racist, sexist, homophobic proclivities, and/or their opposition to gun control, and/or their opposition to women’s reproductive rights, and/or their mindless obsession with sexual identities of others, etc. The second is a congenital preference for lies, conspiracy theories, and most especially the Big Lie, rooted in the disdain for critical thinking among the masses.
There are other two key features of demagogy: one is the “politics of mass distraction” involving the substitution of the objective interests of those among the masses initially drawn to the demagogue on promises of meaningfully addressing them, e.g., in the U.S., unemployment, income inequality, access to affordable healthcare, access to affordable housing, etc., with their subjective interests (“weapons of mass distraction”), e.g., their racist, sexist, homophobic proclivities, and/or their opposition to gun control, and/or their opposition to women’s reproductive rights, and/or their mindless obsession with sexual identities of others, etc. The second is a congenital preference for lies, conspiracy theories, and most especially the Big Lie, rooted in the disdain for critical thinking among the masses.
In the U.S., those who have been categorized as demagogues, meaning practitioners of demagogy, include par excellence Huey Long (governor of Louisiana) and Joseph McCarthy (Republican Congressman); and some have even suggested the name of Donald Trump. Across the world, names that to come to mind would include Rodrigo Duterte, Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson, Jarosław Kaczyński, Narendra Modi, Vladimir Putin, and Viktor Orbán. For an audiovisual portrayal of an archetype demagogue, one can do no better than view Charlie Chaplin’s 1940 classic satire: The Great Dictator. The typical demagogue then is that charlatan who rises up to address, by means of overly simplistic and often impractical solutions, some actual and/or propagandistically manufactured societal problem(s) afflicting significant sections of the masses. However, they are motivated primarily by both material self-aggrandizement and narcissistic delusions of grandeur and not necessarily a desire to provide credible solutions, since the demagogue can offer none given his primary motivations.
In the U.S., those who have been categorized as demagogues, meaning practitioners of demagogy, include par excellence Huey Long (governor of Louisiana) and Joseph McCarthy (Republican Congressman); and some have even suggested the name of Donald Trump. Across the world, names that to come to mind would include Rodrigo Duterte, Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson, Jarosław Kaczyński, Narendra Modi, Vladimir Putin, and Viktor Orbán. For an audiovisual portrayal of an archetype demagogue, one can do no better than view Charlie Chaplin’s 1940 classic satire: The Great Dictator. The typical demagogue then is that charlatan who rises up to address, by means of overly simplistic and often impractical solutions, some actual and/or propagandistically manufactured societal problem(s) afflicting significant sections of the masses. However, they are motivated primarily by both material self-aggrandizement and narcissistic delusions of grandeur and not necessarily a desire to provide credible solutions, since the demagogue can offer none given his primary motivations.
Among other key features characteristic of a demagogue—who, it must be noted, can only exist in a democracy, unlike a dictator, because his power is based on voluntary political support from large alienated sections of the masses—are these (not listed here in any particular order; and obviously not all necessarily will be applicable to a single person):
Among other key features characteristic of a demagogue—who, it must be noted, can only exist in a democracy, unlike a dictator, because his power is based on voluntary political support from large alienated sections of the masses—are these (not listed here in any particular order; and obviously not all necessarily will be applicable to a single person):
(a) The pretense of being one of the people (by birth/upbringing—which may or may not be true) by means of shameless lies and a simplistic and/or boorish communication style that emphasizes the linguistic mannerisms and vocabulary of large sections of the masses, who often tend to be the lesser educated in any society; and who therefore misinterpret such style as “speaking truth to power.” Here, a quote widely available on the internet and attributed to the Austrian journalist and writer, Karl Kraus, is very relevant: “The secret of the demagogue is to make himself as stupid as his audience so that they believe they are as clever as he.”
(a) The pretense of being one of the people (by birth/upbringing—which may or may not be true) by means of shameless lies and a simplistic and/or boorish communication style that emphasizes the linguistic mannerisms and vocabulary of large sections of the masses, who often tend to be the lesser educated in any society; and who therefore misinterpret such style as “speaking truth to power.” Here, a quote widely available on the internet and attributed to the Austrian journalist and writer, Karl Kraus, is very relevant: “The secret of the demagogue is to make himself as stupid as his audience so that they believe they are as clever as he.”
(b) An almost exclusive reliance in political campaigning on emotional appeals, rather than logic and reason.
(b) An almost exclusive reliance in political campaigning on emotional appeals, rather than logic and reason.
(c) The substitution of reasoned deliberations about policy with the identity politics of us-versus-them.
(c) The substitution of reasoned deliberations about policy with the identity politics of us-versus-them.
(d) The relentless subjectification of the objective interests of the masses (equitable access to the four biologically-determined human needs: food, shelter, health, and security), and the objectification of their subjective interests (guns, religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, abortion, and so on).
(d) The relentless subjectification of the objective interests of the masses (equitable access to the four biologically-determined human needs: food, shelter, health, and security), and the objectification of their subjective interests (guns, religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, abortion, and so on).
(e) The cultivation and celebration among supporters of their baser instincts of violence, prejudice, intolerance, selfishness, and unreasonableness.
(e) The cultivation and celebration among supporters of their baser instincts of violence, prejudice, intolerance, selfishness, and unreasonableness.
(f) Breeding a cultish worship of himself among his supporters; that is, the demagogue cultivates every trapping of the hero-worship of himself—even though it will be usually rooted in nothing more than flamboyance and bombast.
(f) Breeding a cultish worship of himself among his supporters; that is, the demagogue cultivates every trapping of the hero-worship of himself—even though it will be usually rooted in nothing more than flamboyance and bombast.
(g) A deliberate and shameless propagation of outrageous lies (even in the face of televised broadcasts in this day and age) including the promulgation of the “Big Lie,” and unbelievably outrageous conspiracy theories—that are in the same league as the “flat earth” theory or the moon is a big ball of cheese idea, or no human has ever landed on the moon type of nonsensical claims. In support of this strategy, the demagogue will do everything possible to discredit the news media that refuses to go along with him in propagating his lies and exaggerations. (Needless to say, one of the Big Lies that Trump has promoted ever since he found out that he had lost the election to Biden/Harris was the lie that the elections were stolen by the Democrats through nefarious vote rigging. A completely outrageous lie.)
(g) A deliberate and shameless propagation of outrageous lies (even in the face of televised broadcasts in this day and age) including the promulgation of the “Big Lie,” and unbelievably outrageous conspiracy theories—that are in the same league as the “flat earth” theory or the moon is a big ball of cheese idea, or no human has ever landed on the moon type of nonsensical claims. In support of this strategy, the demagogue will do everything possible to discredit the news media that refuses to go along with him in propagating his lies and exaggerations. (Needless to say, one of the Big Lies that Trump has promoted ever since he found out that he had lost the election to Biden/Harris was the lie that the elections were stolen by the Democrats through nefarious vote rigging. A completely outrageous lie.)
(h) Assaults on actual and perceived political enemies characterized by shameless falsehoods; false accusations of disloyalty to the nation; gratuitous insults; a deep disrespect for political etiquette (to the delight of his supporters); and at times may also involve encouragement of physical violence and intimidation against them on his behalf by supporters. A demagogue is always, by temperament, first and foremost, a cowardly bully.
(h) Assaults on actual and perceived political enemies characterized by shameless falsehoods; false accusations of disloyalty to the nation; gratuitous insults; a deep disrespect for political etiquette (to the delight of his supporters); and at times may also involve encouragement of physical violence and intimidation against them on his behalf by supporters. A demagogue is always, by temperament, first and foremost, a cowardly bully.
(i) A flagrant disregard for democratic practices and procedures, including the rule of law.
(i) A flagrant disregard for democratic practices and procedures, including the rule of law.
(j) Engaging in economic corruption at every opportunity to line his pockets, as well as that of his relatives and acolytes.
(j) Engaging in economic corruption at every opportunity to line his pockets, as well as that of his relatives and acolytes.
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