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BillD's avatar

Both left-wing Utopian populists and right-wing common-good populists are explicitly anti-Enlightenment non-liberals. Trying to identify some core difference based on intentions is not very productive. Authoritarians from both directions have historically stacked bodies like cord wood. Good luck on the newsletter. Populism certainly is one of the main issues of the day.

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Cole's avatar

As much as I oppose populism due to it's false notion of people power, there is a real and concrete reason class focused politics of left wing populists win over so many people. Power is determined by our socio-economic system: capitalism, class society.

The problem with left-wing populists is that they propose to solve issues like inequality, wage-slavery, etc. by participating in class society (wining elections, becoming president, or participating in the state) rather than seeking to abolish it alltogether.

Also, Bernie is far from a populist.

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