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6 - Right-Wing Populism in the USA

Trump in Comparative Perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2024

Kurt Weyland
Affiliation:
University of Texas, Austin
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Summary

This chapter puts Donald Trump’s populism in comparative perspective by applying the theory developed in chapter 2 and substantiated in chapters 3 to 5 to the US case. My analysis highlights the great institutional strength of US democracy and the unlikelihood of acute and severe crises and of huge windfalls, given the complexity and prosperity of US economy and society. As a result, populism is exceedingly unlikely to suffocate US democracy -- contrary to recent observers’ fears. The chapter substantiates these arguments through an in-depth examination of the Trump experience, which establishes intense partisan and affective polarization as another obstacle to the American populist’s ability to boost his mass support. Trump’s haphazard agency and very mixed governing performance created further limiations. Therefore, despite Trump’s relentless challenges to liberal norms and long-established institutions, US democracy held firm, even during the unprecedented post-electoral crisis of 2020/21. Indeed, the US’s vibrant civil society spearheaded a pro-democratic backlash that brought the electoral defeat of a populist leader who never managed to garner majority support in a highly polarized polity.

Type
Chapter
Information
Democracy's Resilience to Populism's Threat
Countering Global Alarmism
, pp. 196 - 226
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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  • Right-Wing Populism in the USA
  • Kurt Weyland, University of Texas, Austin
  • Book: Democracy's Resilience to Populism's Threat
  • Online publication: 11 January 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009432504.006
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  • Right-Wing Populism in the USA
  • Kurt Weyland, University of Texas, Austin
  • Book: Democracy's Resilience to Populism's Threat
  • Online publication: 11 January 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009432504.006
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Right-Wing Populism in the USA
  • Kurt Weyland, University of Texas, Austin
  • Book: Democracy's Resilience to Populism's Threat
  • Online publication: 11 January 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009432504.006
Available formats
×