[lbo-talk] INSTANT POPULISM: A short history of populism old and new

Fernando Cassia fcassia at gmail.com
Thu Dec 2 08:32:23 PST 2010


On Thu, Dec 2, 2010 at 10:28 AM, Marv Gandall <marvgand at gmail.com> wrote:


> I suggest there aren't any essential differences. They're all reform
> parties based on the unions, lower-income workers, liberal and socialist
> intellectuals, and the various single issue reform movements which have
> coalesced with them at different times. They have typically been opposed by
> the upper bourgeoisie and landed classes, conservative intellectuals and
> small propertyholders, the senior ranks of the armed forces and clergy, etc.
> seeking to maintain the status quo or to roll back the gains introduced by
> the reform parties. The Democratic party is the most conservative reform
> party because of its shared responsibility for US imperialism, which also
> contributed to the living standards of its base while thwarting the
> development of its political consciousness.

I agree with the above. I however, think that positive progress can be made if such reform movements last enough in power AND if they can work around the elite´s dominance of the mainstream media..

FC



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