Source: The Atlantic
by Joseph Heath
“One of the great mysteries about the rise of populism, in both the United States and Europe, is why it has benefited the political right so much more than the left. For years, American progressives have been trying to get people worked up over rising rates of economic inequality, with the expectation that this anger could fuel greater support for the Democratic Party. Yet the electoral fruits of this effort have been pretty much nonexistent. … The problem stems from a failure to grasp the psychology underlying populism. Broadly speaking, populism today is a revolt against cognitive elites, not economic elites. Its centerpiece is the affirmation of common sense over the fancy theories favored by intellectuals. … Populism is popular because it speaks to voters in concrete terms and tells them that their first instincts — about economics and more — are correct.” (12/15/25)