What does Authoritarianism have to do with Populism?

[Fantine]

I always thought populism was a good thing, because it infers it is "for the people." I have never been able to wrap my mind around the idea that politicians who want to usurp power from the people (while seizing it themselves) are "populists," but I often hear them defined as such.

This article describes how authoritarianism merged with populism, and the dangers this presents. After all, what is more dangerous than a would-be dictator saying he's "for the people," and yet they're all over our country.

https://www.americanprogress.org/article/drivers-authoritarian-populism-united-states/

In the United States, the appeal of authoritarian populism has gone hand in hand with a decline of trust in government and a rise in partisan polarization. Increasingly in the United States, the government is seen as unresponsive to citizens’ concerns and captured by well-organized special interests. Voters are also acutely aware of Washington’s growing political dysfunction and the federal government’s inability to “get things done” and respond to the public’s policy preferences. At the ballot box, however, voters often re-enforce the extreme partisanship that contributes to this dysfunction.

 

[DaisyDay]

I really don't know, but there does seem to be a connection. Does there have to be one? Dunno.

 

[USincognito]

Populism tends to coalesce around a personality. If that personality perceives his or herself to be a "strongperson", that lends itself to authoritarianism.

 

[Pommer]

Populism pits one sector of the populace against another sector, casting the out-group as “the enemy” of the [Populist movement of the day HERE].
The “usual suspects” list can include any subset of political actors but the favorites have traditionally been, “the elites”; “Jews”; “Catholics”; “secularists”; “international bankers*”.

Populism assumes that the out-group(s) are the people “in control” and making the Populists’ lives miserable and the populist movement is going to “cleanse” the system of these actors.

In general, populism is a wild stallion that is often difficult for the leaders of the movement to control unless there is a clear leader who will define the goals and enemies of the movement which is where this whole thing gets tied up into authoritarianism.

*sometimes this is a dog-whistle for “Jews”