Populism, which has become a dominant force in the politics of modern times and is known for its slogan of people’s power against the minority elite control, finds its grip across the world. This essay dissects the role of populism by looking at a case study of the presidency of Donald Trump. Looking into themes like media distortion, xenophobia, and suppression of democratic rights, we aim to unscramble the effects of Trump’s rhetoric on democracy. The study aims to shed light on the mechanisms by which populist narratives infiltrate the nature of democratic societies.
Populism is a complicated and multifaceted notion open to different interpretations, typically holding the idea of the people’s empowerment through the charismatic leader. These leaders usually put themselves as the common people’s protector against the corrupted elite. Populism is about controlling the notion of “the people”, which is employed as a trumpet call to be heard by different demographic groups (Zienert-Eilts, 2020, Pg. 971-991). They use foggy slogans and abstract solutions to manipulate people whose sentiments and problems they have used. Using this kind of framing, they manage to strengthen their power and benefit from advancing their policy line. This definition is the key to the whole essay, which will be used as recent events like the Trump era to explain the complexity and impact of populism on democracy.
Trump’s populist tactic, which relies heavily on media manipulation, is one of the major factors that reshaped public opinion and violated the sacred norms of democratic systems. In a manner fit for a true master, he used the term “fake news” to delegitimize the journalism that sought truth and cast doubt on its credibility. By creating the impression that he is a sharp achiever, without regard to the truth, Trump formed, slandered and corroded the media that has in democracy historically played a crucial role in the creation of trust (Zienert-Eilts, 2020, Pg. 971-991). These mechanisms of media intervention provided him with a platform for crafting his message that went on to propagate divisions and erode the building blocks of informed civic participation.
The breaking of the main role of the media in the democratic process had a negative implication on the decision-making process of citizens, thus impeding their ability to make informed decisions. In a society relying on disseminating true information, misinformation and the degradation of reliable journalism will negatively affect public dialogue and civic involvement (Zienert-Eilts, 2020, Pg. 971-991). Truthful media sources losing credibility made citizens vulnerable to manipulation and disinformation, which in turn could help polarize society into an ideological split. The collapse of the trust destroyed the base of democratic governance, above which the citizens were left hopeless and the democracy itself eye-catching to erode and manipulate.
The breaking of the main role of the media in the democratic process had a negative implication on the decision-making process of citizens, thus impeding their ability to make informed decisions. In a society relying on disseminating true information, misinformation and the degradation of reliable journalism will negatively affect public dialogue and civic involvement (Wojczewski, 2020, Pg. 292-311). Truthful media sources losing credibility made citizens vulnerable to manipulation and disinformation, which in turn could help polarize society into an ideological split. The collapse of the trust destroyed the base of democratic governance, above which the citizens were left hopeless and the democracy itself eye-catching to erode and manipulate.
Additionally, Trump’s use of social media evaded traditional filters and enabled him to spread unverified or politically tilted statements without being subjected to journalistic scrutiny and editorial control. To avoid verifying any information and measuring his populism, Trump turned to social media as his weapon to convince his base (Wojczewski, 2020, Pg. 292-311). This unsupervised spread of misinformation reinforced prevalent sentiments and widened the previously existing gap within society, consequently threatening the democratic systems’ integrity.
Despite numerous studies and warnings, Donald Trump’s bad use of social media is proof of the danger that populist leaders are capable of getting around norms and institutions. With his misuse of information, he discredited democracy and the public belief in institutions. To address this challenge, system criticality points should be closely examined. Therefore, ensuring accountability, transparency, and media literacy is important in protecting democratic fundamentals from populist demagogues’ future manipulation (Wojczewski, 2020, Pg. 292-311). The only way to avoid the erosion of democratic values by the media is to work jointly on inoculating people against the insidious phenomenon of media manipulation.
Trump’s brand of populism emphasized a generalized nativism, which can be seen in his very harsh anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies. Being eager to escalate worries about globalization’s shifting demographics, he blamed immigrants and ethnic minorities, resulting in grudges for deprived sections of the population (Béland, 2020, Pg. 162-177). Through plans like border fences and travel restrictions, the candidates played on public fear of blending or losing jobs, offering easy solutions to complex problems. By exploiting these fears, he gathered sufficient voters who needed stability in their weirdly complex and intricate social and political environment.
The approach to democracy pursued by Trump was based on the principle of intolerance, thus questioning basic kindness and equality. By implementing divisive policies and inhumane language, he strengthened the social divisions, which in turn implied a basket of negative consequences for the social welfare of the already deprived groups (Béland, 2020, Pg. 162-177). These rules not only harm the foundation of equal opportunity but also create a culture of fear and hostility toward minorities. Instead of building social cohesion and respect for diversity, his nativism intensified social concerns. It continued the structural oppression, potentially creating one of the biggest challenges to the democratic fabric of American society.
Additionally, Trump’s vilification of the minority groups destroyed the souls of democratic principles in America and undermined the framework of democratic institutions. Through a process of denigrating immigrants and minority groups, he threatened the delicate state of self-awareness and sameness that is vital in a democracy. This kind of divisive speech worsened the social rifts and stained the picture of America as a place where different people are cherished and treated as equals (Béland, 2020, Pg. 162-177). Such acts are moral erosion or degradation of the common norms and values of democracy and social harmony. As a result, the notion of democracy and social harmony suffer so much.
Under Trump’s presidency, the nationalist agenda provoked a deep-rooted conflict in democratic values as Trump’s approach was associated with exclusionary politics rather than an inclusive vision. Specifically, by denouncing margin communities and fearing “the other”, Trump’s populism certainly distorted the essence of democracy. The essential pillar of democracy stands on the recognition and protection of the human rights and dignity of every person regardless of their heritage (Béland, 2020, Pg. 162-177). Trump’s behaviours violated this sacred principle, causing grave danger to the quality and durability of democratic administration.
The Trump administration was characterized by a deeply worrying pattern of non-democratic conduct, which deviated from the established norms. The court independence, which is the primary method of Constitutional checks and balances, was doubted by his frequent attacks in accordance with the Rule of law (Montgomery, 2020, Pg. 733-765). The fact that Trump openly challenged court orders and questioned the lawfulness of judicial decisions contradicts the basic concept that a judiciary free from pressures of the governing power is the essential component of democratic governance.
The authoritarian traits of Trump were reflected in how he treated dissidents and opponents. This tactic was a recurring theme in his presidency as he sought to discredit critics and discourage dissent by assigning loyalty to the state, equating critics with enemies of the state. This strategy caused complete suppression of free expression but also caused hindrance in discourse, thereby depriving the public of the chance to make their opinions heard (Montgomery, 2020, Pg. 733-765). Through the acts of demonizing dissent on the president’s part, he has been able to erode the unity of democratic values and undermine the multifaceted streams that feed democracy’s strong foundation of mutual respect, tolerance, and the constructive engagement of peaceful co-existence, different viewpoints, and debates.
The elimination of democratic values during Trump’s Rule opened the gates for many future leaders who possessed anti-democratic mindsets. Through his consistent criticism of democratic institutions and disrespect for the Rule of law, Trump exhibited a tendency to shun democratic governance. This process of normalizing gave the executive body complete control over the country, where civil liberties started to erode (Montgomery, 2020, Pg. 733-765). Such strategies consequently weakened the institutional establishment of democracy. They posed a grave danger to the fundamental principles of a free and open society, casting a shadow over the democratic essence.
Donald Trump became the embodiment of populism, which could be a serious threat to democratic countries, as the following discussion showed. The media manipulations, the nativist motifs, and the illiberal acts behind Trump’s populism subverted not only the democratic foundations but also the institutions. The population should also be watchful to avoid populist promises and nurture their loyalty with those beliefs of liberty, equality and democratic governance for the long term. A resolute response to this challenge is the sound defence of these principles because this is what should prevent democracies from being weakened by populism and make them stronger in terms of the experiences they go through.
Béland, D., 2020. Right-wing populism and the politics of insecurity: how president Trump frames migrants as collective threats. Political Studies Review, 18(2), pp.162-177. https://doi.org/10.1177/1478929919865131
Montgomery, M., 2020. Populism in performance? Trump on the stump and his audience. Journal of Language and Politics, 19(5), pp.733-765.https://doi.org/10.1075/jlp.20019.mon
Wojczewski, T., 2020. Trump, populism, and American foreign policy. Foreign Policy Analysis, 16(3), pp.292-311.https://doi.org/10.1093/fpa/orz021
Zienert-Eilts, K.J., 2020. Destructive populism as “perverted containing”: A psychoanalytical look at the attraction of Donald Trump. The International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 101(5), pp.971-991.https://doi.org/10.1080/00207578.2020.1827955