Paraphrasing the celebrated phrase from the Manifesto of the Communist organization of Marx and Engels, present it is not the spectrum of communism, but populism circulating across Europe. What is populism that the supporters of liberal democracy fear so much? Well, populism can be spoken of in 2 meanings: as a kind of social culture and as an instrument of power struggle.
Populistic social culture occurs in environments with a sense of harm due to their social position and the associated feelings of underestimation and humiliation. The basis of populist culture is the deficiency of acceptance for existing social stratification, which is expressed in hatred of economic, meritocratic and political elites. These elites are regarded as guilty of harm to the people, which is the origin of distrust towards the people and institutions deciding on the functioning of the state. This results in strong claims regarding social policy, simplification of cognitive processes, namely a strong attachment to stereotypes, and the belief that politicians care only about their own interests. The expanding and spreading features of populist culture can lead to a situation where large social groups deny their erstwhile authority the right to lead, while removing the feeling of shame and uncertainty that has always been accompanied by breaking the rules established by the elite. This phenomenon J. Ortega y Gasset called the mutiny of the masses. This rebellion marks a crisis in the functioning of a country to which the rulers effort to prevent or rapidly resolve, utilizing various strategies: from panic to far-reaching concessions to rebels.
A peculiarly hard task of democratic government arises in the case of the essential reforms. Representatives of populist culture are afraid of changes that have far-reaching goals, but can make their situation worse. The main dilemma of reformers is then to choose 1 of 2 options: to minimise social costs by slowing down and reducing the degree of radicalism of the reform, which could endanger to completely destruct its effects, or to accelerate the improvement process, which could lead to a failure of public support and alienation of political elites carrying out the reform. A good example of the impact of the first option is the destiny of the Green Deal in the European Union, while the second 1 is the decision of the PO-PSL government to extend the retirement age.
Populism, as a culture, is simply a phenomenon detrimental to the functioning of the state. It is the consequence of the trauma experienced by people representing, in their opinion, a discriminated social group. It is frequently a trauma passed down from generation to generation, due to war experiences, the exploitation of workers and serfed peasants, various resentives and the situations of people for whom civilization changes have proved to be unfavourable due to the fact that they have lost a good occupation or social position, due to the regulation of industrial production. It does not necessarily reflect the real standard of surviving and the possibilities of developing people attached to the culture of populism. The task of democratic power is to eradicate the patterns of this culture through education, to make equal opportunities for social promotion and appropriate social policy.
Populism as an instrument of power conflict means an effort by a political organization to exploit a sense of harm to broad social circles. So there are political forces, both in Poland and in another European countries, supporting the models of populist culture. They declare themselves defenders of the people and a close national tradition, thus acquiring a many and faithful electorate. In Europe, the lower social class no longer sees its typical in left-wing parties, but in populist right-wing groups. alternatively of fighting stereotypes, these groups perpetuate them. alternatively of explaining the request for developmental changes that people fear, they criticize these changes. 3 forms of gaining followers are used. The first is the nature of political corruption, through social transfers and another types of economical incentives that political competitors have not applied or used. The second form is the apotheosis of the people, or sovereign. He is attributed a unique moral value and treated as the only morally healthy part of society. A imagination of morality is created, the model of which is average man, most people or people, besides called sovereign. Finally, the 3rd form of gaining followers is to make enemies of the people, those who are guilty of his harm. For this purpose, various stereotypes and prejudices and the proclamation of the superiority of common knowledge, consisting of alleged folk wisdom, over theories and technological claims, are used. Anti-vaccinators and opponents of the defence against climate disaster, forcing various sacrifices, can so number on knowing from the populist government.
Of these 3 forms of influence, political corruption is comparatively least harmful in terms of liberal and humanistic values. The alleged election sausage is simply a widely accepted way of acting political parties. This is frequently detrimental to the economical improvement of the country, especially erstwhile promises are greatly exaggerated in the heat of election bidding. This, too, is not a large calamity, because, as we know, “of the empty, and Solomon will not pour.” any of these promises may prove to be typical willow pears. Exaggeration in social transfers may undermine the balanced and long-term improvement of the country, especially when, as in the case of the Law and Justice Office, money goes straight to people alternatively than to investment to meet social needs.
The another 2 forms of influence of amateurs of the usage of populist culture in the pursuit of power should be much worse assessed. In this case, actions taken by a populist organization aim to extract from people the worst qualities and instincts to gain their support. In the vast majority of politicians who do this, they cynically make themselves as defenders of the lower social class. Their primary nonsubjective is power, not the real improvement of the existence of people they call the salt of the earth and in whom they hatred their political opponents. The apotheosis of the people in this propaganda is deliberately expanding to the full nation, which, however, includes only those who accept the populist party's politics.
The basic premise of this policy is to tell the public the function of victim for centuries harmed by hostile forces both in the country and abroad. The United Right strives to advance the kind of historical policy in which noble, honest and spiritual Poles suffered undeserved suffering from another nations: Germans, Russians and Ukrainians. In this narrative, Poles were never oppressors, but were always victims of abroad oppressors. In populist historical politics, the apparent facts concerning Poles' attitude to Jews during planet War II are denied. It is not taken into account that this relation was very diverse, that, in addition to trying to aid Jews, which threatened to lose their lives, pre-war anti-Semitism during the Nazi business resulted in the activity of looters and judaic property hunters. There were besides Poles openly cooperating with Germans in the hell of the Holocaust. This policy is intended to deny the “policy of shame”, by silence and effort to forget many pogroms of the judaic population in Poland in the post-war period. Those who search to come to the terrifying fact are treated in right-wing environments as national traitors.
This image of a tortured, noble nation is to give the right to many claims in relation to abroad surroundings. The PiS government has made a ridiculous request for war reparations from Germany, although the substance of compensation has long been closed. According to this policy, Poland's participation in the European Union should besides consist in receiving financial support from Poland, without having to adapt to EU values and applicable law. After all, this support is nothing more than a well-deserved compensation for the detention of the Bolshevik storm on the West in 1920, as well as for the deficiency of assistance from the West in 1939 and leaving us after the war in the sphere of russian influence. Any effort by the heirs to request even partial compensation for post-war judaic property taken over by Poles, raises the anger of populist politicians and is treated almost as a declaration of war.
It is easy to announcement that populist politics lead to a triad: a sense of harm – claimsiness – hatred. The last component of this triad serves to strengthen populist regulation and is simply a condition for populist sovereignty. The hostile or at least distrustful attitude towards abroad partners excludes closer contacts and cooperation. So the populist government does not gotta take into account the limitations of abroad relations in its plans and decisions, due to the fact that these relationships become residual. Since this is not possible in the EU, there have been constant conflicts between the EU's leadership and the government of the United Right with a clear view of sovereignty.
The strengthening of populist regulation besides serves to stimulate hatred of any of its own citizens, representing environments that are reluctant to these governments, namely liberal and leftist, or that cannot accept the lie and demagogue of government propaganda. These people were excluded from the nation, calling them traitors or victims of hostile manipulation. This manipulation of the PiS blames for its failure in the 2023 parliamentary elections. After all, Kaczyński, his defender and his subordinate media did their best to disgust voters Donald Tusk, leader of the democratic opposition. Kaczyński knows that creating enemies is simply a strong support origin for people with inferiority complexes, traumatized, having any kind of intellectual distress. Most of these people are. If this is accompanied by a tendency to simplify cognitive processes, then it is easy for them to believe that their frustrations and their life failures are caused by the activities of the environments which indicate to them "the retired savior of Poland". The work of others for their own troubles allows you to feel better, get free of helplessness erstwhile the enemy is defined and you can direct your anger on him. This is what "getting up from the knees" and a dignified aspect of populist politics are all about.
The sowing of hatred and the dividing of society into their own and alien is the top evil that populist politicians do. Nationalism and xenophobia are always the origin of pogroms and wars, exclusions and discrimination. The task of all men of good will is to fight prejudice, which is the consequence of intellectual boredom and moral degrengolada. Meanwhile, right-wing populism promotes the spread of stereotypes that origin prejudice. Generalisation and categorisation lead to these stereotypes. It is possible to criticize and condemn circumstantial people for concrete actions, but it is not allowed to do so in relation to full social groups. And that's what you do erstwhile you belong to a peculiar group or nation adequate to hatred and discriminate. This leads to anti-Semitism, racism or homophobia, excluding people from the community due to their nationality, skin colour or sexual orientation. Prejudice is simply a denial of the humanist rule that there is no collective responsibility. It is forbidden to disindemnify individual who belongs to a group in which individual else has committed a wicked act.
Another origin of stereotypes by which the reality of populists is assessed is petrification. This Stereotype involves not seeing the changes that people, social groups and situations in which they are affected. It frequently applies in relations with another countries erstwhile the memory of past conflicts and crimes is inactive alive and despite the long passage of time demands rematch or redress. How long can this be demanded of the Germans who have long and repeatedly condemned fascist crimes? How long can 1 resent the contemporary Ukrainians whose ancestors slaughtered Poles in Volyn? comic is this nationalistic belief in the continuity of generations, which demands an apology for the actions of ancestors. It's nothing but collectivistic aberration, a generalization in the historical aspect. Past conflicts and crimes should not be forgotten, but not that people with nothing in common should blame each other, but that they should find their causes and not let them to reappear.
Populism can be overcome or at least weakened, reducing the attractiveness of the models of its social culture and reducing its effectiveness as an instrument of power struggle. The first is to rise the standard of surviving of all citizens, especially the economically weak, and to advance liberal values. In the second case, the substance is more difficult. The reason for this is that many people who do not necessarily accept populist culture submit to the propaganda of the populist organization is simply a strong sense of national identity.
This feeling triggers the request for solidarity with representatives of their own nation, which in their dealings with foreigners hinders the objectivity of assessments. "My Country, Right or Wrong," the English say. Since the 19th century, people have been raised, not only in Poland, but besides in another countries, in an atmosphere of praise for national selfishness and megalomania. This was served by school curricula and myths giving identity to the national rank of spiritual duty. Our reasoning and language have been dominated by conventional concepts, grown on the grounds of competition and the fight against another nations. Therefore, we inactive usage stereotypes and flat slogans. Yet, the attitude towards our homeland and our own nation can be expressed completely differently, without resorting to spells about our greatness and martyrdom in an eternal and bloody global race. alternatively of emotional bloating, honesty and a sense of civic work are enough, resulting from the fact of national belonging and the benefits of this.
Man has a work to be honest and honest with the community in which he lives, but he besides has the right to choose this community and to keep a critical attitude towards it. Uncritical recognition with cultural or spiritual group, so frequently glorified, can lead to the worst social phenomena. Blind love for one’s own nation makes it possible not to see the shameful acts that its members have done or have done. The sense of identity with the group protects from fear of loneliness, but requires submission to group norms and patterns of behavior. This gives you a sense of security, but besides deprives you of your freedom.
People infected with populist narrative, without critical judgment, due to the fact that convinced that the real Pole is always honest and good, willingly believe in these fairy tales and suppress humanist scruples and reflexes. After all, how many dare to admit that not an abstract nation is the most important, but a circumstantial man, regardless of his birthplace, color, confession or sexual orientation? The populist majority, treating identity recognition as the basis of patriotism, would immediately call those who so justice traitors and mistreaters.
A citizen's attitude means a model of a man delicate to human affairs beyond the borders of the national community. It is simply a model of a citizen who is guided by universal ethics and liberalism values. It is simply a pattern of a man equally respecting another people regardless of who they are or where they come from. It is simply a model of a man resistant to populist propaganda. If this kind of people were to spread, the planet would surely be better. possibly 1 day there will come a time of defeat of populism and authoritarianism, erstwhile people will care for themselves, without waiting for it from any dictator, and aid take care of themselves to those who, for various reasons, neglect in life erstwhile they feel free and liable for themselves and others. possibly then the borders between countries will disappear, the pride of national belonging and imperial dreams will disappear. alternatively of fighting each another and competing, people will cooperate and the slogan will appear: “There is 1 nation, a human nation.”
Yes, present it is an illusion, but 1 that is worth following, not to make the planet a good one, but to make it a small better than now.
