Avizier Tucker - What is Populism? A Classical view (Philosophy)

Populism has become a one size fits all label for very different and even contradictory political phenomena.  I go back to the classical Greek and Roman sources of the expression to understand it as the political rule of passions, the opposite of technocracy.  Populism can co-exist with democracy or authoritarianism, liberalism or absolutism.  In fact, by limiting the damage the passions can inflict, liberalism can contribute to the longevity of populism by preventing its natural tendency to self-destruct