Despite being widespread and used, populism is a very popular concept in the 21st century, but one that can cause some confusion in its use. Several approaches are presented in the literature on the use of this term. De La Torre, propose to explain this phenomenon present in international politics, emphasizing its importance and positioning it within the context of liberal democracy, and other political systems.
The author exemplify, some approaches to populism, but the ones that most call attention are:
- The one that considers populism as a political strategy employed by a specific type of leader who seeks to govern based directly on the support of his followers and is quite popular in Latin American countries and non-Western societies. This approach emphasizes that populism implies a strong and charismatic figure who concentrates power and maintains a direct connection with the masses;
- Another that considers populism predominantly as a political style, in which leaders and parties are concerned with mobilizing the masses. This approach is popular within political and media communication studies. They seek to maximize media attention and popular support. By flouting dress and language codes, populist actors are able to present themselves as different, outsiders and also as courageous leaders who side with the “people” as opposed to the “elite”.
De La Torre, Carlos. The Oxford handbook of Populism (2017) – Populism in Latin America. Oxford University Press, 2017.