IOn Thursday night, Conservative Review Editor-in-Chief Mark Levin took on the rising tide of “populist nationalism” with a history lesson.
Populism, Levin explained, is really just progressivism. The populist movement in America was the forerunner of the progressive movement, and both populism and progressivism share the same disdain for constitutionalism that conservatives reject.
On Thursday night, Conservative Review Editor-in-Chief Mark Levin took on the rising tide of “populist nationalism” with a history lesson.
Populism, Levin explained, is really just progressivism. The populist movement in America was the forerunner of the progressive movement, and both populism and progressivism share the same disdain for constitutionalism that conservatives reject.
Those who fail to study history are doomed to repeat it. Conservatives must reject populism and return our focus to constitutional limited government. Populism embraces big government statism, Levin said.
Constitutional conservatism embraces liberty.
And that is the contrast between Donald Trump’s populism and Ted Cruz’s conservatism.
- See more at: https://www.conservativereview.com/commentary/2016/03/levin-populism-is-progressivism-which-is-statism#sthash.1qbZm5OO.dpuf
Levin is right. Populism is largely misunderstood. But, from its birth in the late 1800s, Populism may be accurately characterized as "the last refuge of 'the little man' who has given up, demanding that government protect him from the predations of the financiers". As a consequence, it usually involves a "man on horseback" -- initially William Jennings Bryant -- willing to run a dictatorial executive at the head of a powerful and oppressive government.
So, yes, Populism is nothing less than Progressivism in disguise. And it is a very dangerous ism...