Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

The Effects of Populism on Liberal Democracy

Lindström, Kajsa LU (2021) STVK02 20202
Department of Political Science
Abstract
Recently there has been a rise of populism within Venezuela and Poland. Simultaneously, both countries have seen a de-democratization as a result of legal and political changes carried out by their governments. This study consists of a comparative analysis of two case studies on left-wing populism in Venezuela and right-wing populism in Poland, and aims at investigating the relationship populism and liberal democracy. I analyze these cases using the theories presented by Nadia Urbinati in her work Democracy Disfigured (2014).
The results show that despite the different types of populism, both parties have in similar ways contributed to the de-democratization in their countries. I provide three hypotheses on how this has happened; (1)... (More)
Recently there has been a rise of populism within Venezuela and Poland. Simultaneously, both countries have seen a de-democratization as a result of legal and political changes carried out by their governments. This study consists of a comparative analysis of two case studies on left-wing populism in Venezuela and right-wing populism in Poland, and aims at investigating the relationship populism and liberal democracy. I analyze these cases using the theories presented by Nadia Urbinati in her work Democracy Disfigured (2014).
The results show that despite the different types of populism, both parties have in similar ways contributed to the de-democratization in their countries. I provide three hypotheses on how this has happened; (1) because it leads to a centralization of powers by mobilizing the majority to violate the checks and balances and the separation of powers; (2) because the anti-pluralistic nature of populism can legitimize a tyrannic majority rule, that is able to evade and disregard the rights of minorities and oppositions; (3) because it can undermine the legitimacy and interfere in the work of independent institutions outside of the government. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Lindström, Kajsa LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVK02 20202
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Venezuela, Poland, Populism, Liberal Democracy, De-democratization, Chávez, Law and Justice.
language
English
id
9033762
date added to LUP
2021-05-25 12:43:09
date last changed
2021-05-25 12:43:09
@misc{9033762,
  abstract     = {{Recently there has been a rise of populism within Venezuela and Poland. Simultaneously, both countries have seen a de-democratization as a result of legal and political changes carried out by their governments. This study consists of a comparative analysis of two case studies on left-wing populism in Venezuela and right-wing populism in Poland, and aims at investigating the relationship populism and liberal democracy. I analyze these cases using the theories presented by Nadia Urbinati in her work Democracy Disfigured (2014). 
	The results show that despite the different types of populism, both parties have in similar ways contributed to the de-democratization in their countries. I provide three hypotheses on how this has happened; (1) because it leads to a centralization of powers by mobilizing the majority to violate the checks and balances and the separation of powers; (2) because the anti-pluralistic nature of populism can legitimize a tyrannic majority rule, that is able to evade and disregard the rights of minorities and oppositions; (3) because it can undermine the legitimacy and interfere in the work of independent institutions outside of the government.}},
  author       = {{Lindström, Kajsa}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The Effects of Populism on Liberal Democracy}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}