This article aims to develop a political-sociological framework for understanding populist leadership. It focuses on distinguishing “leader democracy” from “populist leader democracy” and introduces the concept of populist plebiscitarianism as a theoretical tool for comparative analysis of contemporary cases of populist leadership. While not all forms of populism have historically manifested through personalised leadership, it is remarkable that within the evolution of neo-populism in advanced democracies, the role of leadership is inseparable from the dynamics of the distinctive politics of personality (Taggart, 2000; Moffitt, 2016). Populism participates in the broader process of personalisation and disintermediation, reshaping the bond between voters and institutions and, more generally, the relationship between society and institutions. This transformation radicalises the anti-establishment character of leadership, turning the leader into an emotional symbol of a new politicisation process as democracies transition from party democracy to leader democracy and ultimately to post-representative democracy.
The Politics of Manipulated Resonance: Personalised Leadership in Populism
viviani lorenzo
2025-01-01
Abstract
This article aims to develop a political-sociological framework for understanding populist leadership. It focuses on distinguishing “leader democracy” from “populist leader democracy” and introduces the concept of populist plebiscitarianism as a theoretical tool for comparative analysis of contemporary cases of populist leadership. While not all forms of populism have historically manifested through personalised leadership, it is remarkable that within the evolution of neo-populism in advanced democracies, the role of leadership is inseparable from the dynamics of the distinctive politics of personality (Taggart, 2000; Moffitt, 2016). Populism participates in the broader process of personalisation and disintermediation, reshaping the bond between voters and institutions and, more generally, the relationship between society and institutions. This transformation radicalises the anti-establishment character of leadership, turning the leader into an emotional symbol of a new politicisation process as democracies transition from party democracy to leader democracy and ultimately to post-representative democracy.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
