A Bagehot column in a recent issue of The Economist makes the case that Princess Diana brought a more emotional style to British politics that endures to this day. The author thus sees a direct line between Diana and Boris Johnson. I’m a little bit skeptical of that thesis, but it suggested another one to me that has application here as well as the UK.
Populism, like its big brother nationalism, is more of a feeling than an idea; it is romantic, not classical. The whole point of populism is to exalt sentiment, belief, and will over reason and expertise. It cannot be refuted with logic–only results.
If you accept that populism is a romantic concept, you may find that in a sense reassuring, because the history of art tells us the pendulum inevitably swings back at some point. The down side is that the populists can do a tremendous amount of damage while they’re in control. If you don’t believe me, just think about the thirties and forties.