Leadership, Populism and Resistance is a well-crafted compilation of individually authored chapters employing a multidisciplinary approach to cumulatively explain the evolution of populism and social movements. Through a cross-regional and historical exploration of populism, Kristin Bezio and George Goethals contend that contemporary leadership is being transformed. Specifically, the protection of democratic ideals is losing its political allure. Instead, the increasingly exclusionary nature of populism is being weaponised by political leaders. Extremist views by civil society on issues like immigration are being exploited by public officials as a means of garnering electoral support. The point is exemplified repeatedly throughout the book with US President Donald Trump. Thus, according to the authors, the rise of right-wing populism has led to a ‘crisis in leadership’ (p. 6) – one that needs to be addressed if democracy is to be preserved.
As a whole, the book presents an innovative analysis of populism. It combines traditional theoretical frameworks with an exploration of the contemporary influence of social media on popular movements. The authors seek to demonstrate that the role of traditional media outlets in tandem with the growing use of social media handles (particularly Twitter) has substantially altered the political saliency and visibility of popular movements. Most interestingly, it demonstrates how social media are being employed more aggressively as a political tool. For example, Allison Archer documents how during the run-up to the 2016 presidential elections and throughout his time in office, Trump employed his social media accounts in order to rally his supporters and cast doubt on the legitimacy/credibility of the press, a trend that has led to ‘charges of “fake news” and selective coverage’ (p. 130).
The organisation of the book is clear for the reader. Academics and non-academics alike will be able to follow the development of arguments and identify the various themes throughout the volume.
The first section of the book examines the evolution of traditional populist theories, focusing on their current application. This section employs an ideational approach to argue that populism at its core is composed of ideas ‘relating to the people, the elite, and the general will (volonté général)’ (p. 9). By referring to scholars like Hannah Arendt, Cas Mudde and Francis Fukuyama, Paul Sanders reinforces the notion that populism thrives on societal divisions which mainly emerge as a result of class (left-wing populism), or race and national affiliation (right-wing populism). Sanders convincingly argues that a new definition of populism is not necessary; rather, in the current context it is more important to recognise the looming threat populism poses to democracy. Sanders contends that it is only through acknowledgement that populism's negative influence on political institutions can be counteracted.
The second section explores populism from an historical point of view. The initial chapter (by Bezio) presents a discussion comparing the Elizabethan Era with Western Islamophobia. The association made between the religious discrimination of Catholics and that of present-day Muslims illustrates that despite the apparent modernisation of society, social differences continue to be exploited for political benefit, demonstrating how exclusionary tactics can be used to unify other sectors in opposition.
As can be expected of any work that embarks on an in-depth discussion of populism, Ernesto Semán's chapter addresses the case of Latin America. Due to the current relevance of the topic and the modern nature of the book my expectations were extremely high when reading this chapter. Unfortunately, it fell a little flat. Semán's argumentation is not without its merits, as his central argument linking the charismatic leadership style of the caudillos in Spain with the current crisis in Latin America is extremely insightful. I just wish this discussion could have been more pronounced throughout the entire chapter, particularly in relation to his analysis of contemporary examples. Though Semán does refer to Latin America's prime illustration of populist leadership, i.e. Venezuela's Hugo Chávez, the reader is left wanting more. Given the current socio-political crisis in Latin America and the book's overall focus on contemporary leadership, Semán's argument would have benefitted from more examples.
The final two chapters of the section focus on the centralisation of the US government and how the Civil Rights movement resulted in more inclusive voting rights. Here the chapter authors (Nathan Harter and Cydney Clark, and Julian Maxwell Hayter) demonstrate that populist tendencies are not a new occurrence in the United States. Rather, they suggest that populism represents a political temptation that public officials have had to navigate from the moment the nation gained its independence.
The final three sections of the book present some of its most exciting arguments.
The third section provides an historic breakdown of the media's evolving relationship with political leaders in the United States. Hayley Gray-Hoehn argues that ‘Throughout Anglo-American history, political leaders and the governmental systems in which they have led have both shaped and been shaped by the media ecology of a period’ (p. 126). Allison Archer and Kimberly Yost mirror this sentiment and showcase that since the creation of the radio, television and internet, populist leaders have had a tumultuous relationship with the media.
The fourth section delves into the problems associated with populism, primarily the development of immature leadership (Scott Allison et al.). Through topics like the US educational system and its supposed status as a safe haven, Thomas Shields and Kate Cassada explore the discriminatory practices (particularly against immigrants) that are distancing civil society from democracy. Thus, as a proposed solution to making the population less susceptible to populism, the section culminates with a call for more education. Thad Williamson contends that only by educating its students and committing as a community to the preservation of democracy, will it be able to survive (p. 210).
The final chapter, by Kenneth Ruscio, wraps up the book by emphasising the importance of humility amongst political leaders – a virtue the authors have shown us Trump is clearly lacking. Whilst not a conclusion, this chapter is somewhat idealistic as it bases the future of democracy on the hope that morality and modesty will be determinant features of our political leaders, a partly naive sentiment.
Overall, this volume is an easy read and provides scholars from various disciplines the opportunity to examine the effect of populism on contemporary leadership.
