The Populist tide is threatening the Post War Liberal World Order

Ali Inan
Thesis Statement: Populism suggests a worrying future for the international system because absent shared support
for liberal values, multilateral institutions, pluralistic societies, and free trade is beginning to dissolve much of the
institutional and normative glue holding the postwar order together.
1. Introduction
A. Powerful Political Force
B. Global Trend in Politics
C. It is not unstoppable but not receding, presently
D. Challenges the post-war liberal order
2. Why Populism is a threat to Liberal World Order?
A. Characteristic Features of Populist upsurge
i. Regionalised approach
ii. Highly Chameleonic
iii. Lack Of democratic values
iv. Longing for the past
v. Give a set of new policies against the existing order
vi. Avoid bureaucratic and political jargon
B. The Populist Appeal
i. Appeal to the Deprived or Under privileged sections of society
ii. Anti-Centrist
iii. Rejection of Post War Liberal Ideals and Liberal Institutions
C. Nationalism and Protectionism
i. Trump’s slogan - America First
ii. North Korea and US Nuclear stand off
iii US abolishing Birth Right Act
3. Populist Threat to several facets of Liberal World Order
A. Threat to Globalization
i. UKIP’s populist stance and Brexit
ii Marine Le Penn’s National Rally – erstwhile National Front in France
iii Finns Party in Finland
B. Threat to Media
i. Donald Trump’s Rhetoric against ‘fake news’ and mainstream Media
C. Threat to Academia
i. Victor Orban’s attempt to shut down Central European University
D. Threat to Judiciary
i. Brexit supporters’ anti-judiciary stance
E. Threat to Free Economic System/Capitalism/Free Trade
i. US withdrawal from Trans Pacific Partnership
ii. Social Credit Party of Canada - SOCREDS
F. Threat to Internationalism
i. Trump’s vision to build a wall
ii Denying Global Warming as a threat
iii. Islamophobia
G. Socio Economic Threat
i. Podemos in Spain
H. Racist threat posed by Populism
i. Pauline Hansin’s One Nation in Australia
ii. Marine Le Penn’s National Rally – erstwhile National Front in France
I. Threat to free practice of religion
i. Freedom Party of Austria’s vow to outlaw free distribution of Quran
ii. Narendra Modi’s and Yogi Adityanath’s Right Wing Hindutva Politics
 J. Threat to freedom of movement and Immigration
i. Brexit and Anti-Immigration Rhetoric
ii Travel ban to US
iii Vlams Blok in Belgium
4. Circumstances of Populist Emergence
A. Dissatisfaction with the ruling Elite
B. Personalisation of Power
C. Distrust on Liberal Institutions
D. Social Factors – Anti Immigration Sentiments
E. Economic Factors – Post Recession Crisis, Unemployment
5. Why democracy is so vulnerable to populist challenge?
A. Power of People v/s Power of Elite
B. Liberal Constitutionalism v/s Democratic Majoritarianism
6. Populists are anti-liberal democracy
A. Authoritarian mindset with public support
B. Politics of fear
C. Exclusionary Agenda
D. Ethno-Nationalists
7. How populist uprisings could bring down liberal democracy?
A. Political newcomers storm the stage.
B. Voters clamour for policies that were unthinkable until yesterday.
C. Social tensions that had long simmered under the surface erupt into terrifying explosions.
D. A system of government that had seemed immutable looks as though it might come apart.
E. Party systems have long seemed frozen
F. Rise of Authoritarian Leaders
8. Conclusion
A. Challenge to Liberal Order
B. Populism is a force to reckon with
C. Populists threat is a global reality
9. Way Forward
A. Economic Reforms
B. Social Cohesiveness
C. Check on Media and Social Media
D. Restoration of trust in liberal democratic institutions
E. Progressive Populism
“For democracies to work, politicians need to respect the difference between an enemy and an
adversary. An adversary is someone you want to defeat. An enemy is someone you have to destroy.”
(Michael Ignatieff, the political theorist and former leader of the Liberal party of Canada)