Populism is a political philosophy which focuses on standing up for the rights and positions of “the people,” distinguishing common citizens from the elite and the government. Several political movements around the world, most notably in Russia and the United States, have promoted populist ideals. When used to describe political rhetoric, an individual, or a political party, the term often carries pejorative connotations, and “populism” has become a loaded word.

The key ideal behind populism is the idea that the common man or “little guy” should have a chance in society and an active role in government. Populist movements generally divide society into the people and the elite, placing individuals in positions of limited power among the people, and individuals or institutions with clout among the elite. The elite are typically wealthy, utilizing their wealth to influence the political system while accruing more wealth, and populists often feel that the government protects the interests of the elite, not the needs of the common people.

Populists generally support democratic systems, feeling that democracy is the best way for the people to play a role in the government, and despite the fact that they promote the welfare of the common man, populists tend to shy away from socialism and extreme liberalism. Politicians from both the right and the left can be involved in populism, and politicians may accuse each other of pandering or playing to populism in an attempt to get support and votes.

These sorts of political movements are designed to encourage governments and society in general to work to provide the greatest good to the greatest number of people, through policy and legislation which supports ordinary people. Curiously, populist movements often reject policy suggestions such as living wage mandates, public assistance, and government-sponsored health care, despite the fact that these policies are often designed to help the members of the public who are most in need.

The media is fond of using this term in descriptions of public outcry over political events. A populace may be said to be “erupting in populist rage” when people lodge complaints about flagrant abuses of power among the elite, or in situations where governments push through legislation which does little to benefit the lower and middle classes and backlash occurs. In this sense, the term is usually pejorative in nature, and it is often used to suggest that the public is too ignorant or short-sighted to understand what is really going on, instead fixing on major points of contention which make convenient public scapegoats.