Democracy Erodes from the Top: Misperceptions about the Populist Challenge

Professor Larry M. Bartels discusses his new book Democracy Erodes from the Top: Leaders, Citizens and the Challenge of Populism in Europe. Professor Bartels challenges the narrative of a populist “wave” in contemporary European public opinion. He argues that electoral support for right-wing populist parties has increased only modestly, driven by populist entrepreneurs, the failures of mainstream parties, and media hype. He argues that Europe’s democratic backsliding reflects the ambitions of political leaders rather than public opinion. Professor Bartels concludes that the bottom-up interpretation of Europe’s political crisis needs to be turned upside down. About the speaker: Larry M. Bartels is May Werthan Shayne Chair of Public Policy and Social Science and University Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Law at Vanderbilt University. His books include Democracy Erodes from the Top: Leaders, Citizens, and the Challenge of Populism in Europe; Unequal Democracy: The Political Economy of the New Gilded Age (2nd ed); and Democracy for Realists: Why Elections Do Not Produce Responsive Government (with Christopher Achen). He is an elected member of the American National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Philosophical Society.