New Books in Political Science
Populism, Power, and the Crisis of Globalism: A Conversation with Wolfgang Streeck
Apr 5, 2025
Wolfgang Streeck, former director at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, dives deep into the issues dividing elites and the public in Western democracies. He discusses the rise of populism as a challenge to democracy and capitalism, reflecting on educational divides and immigration tensions. Streeck critiques the U.S. influence on European security and the shift in American global strategy from benevolence to control. His insights illuminate the potential for a more democratic global system amid these complex challenges.
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Quick takeaways
- Populism emerges as a reaction against elite centralization of power, highlighting the need for ordinary citizens to reclaim democratic agency.
- The educational divide complicates perceptions of immigration, presenting challenges for integration and revealing contrasting views on cultural and economic impacts.
Deep dives
The Evolving Nature of Populism
Populism is characterized as a tool employed by the masses against the elite, where ordinary people seek to reclaim their agency from centralized power structures. The discussion highlights that globalization has historically facilitated the concentration of power in the hands of elites, undermining democratic participation. Critics argue that as technocracy and market-driven governance have taken over, democracy has been threatened, giving rise to new forms of populism as a pushback against this trend. The implications of this shift suggest a need for bottom-up control and a reevaluation of how governance is structured in response to the growing discontent among ordinary citizens.
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