VIDEO | Prof. Sharlamanov: Populists do not consider everyone a "people" - for them it is the "people" who support them
Almost two thirds of the population in Macedonia believe in conspiracy theories, are in favor of a stronger hand in governing, according to the latest poll by Societas Civitas.
- My initial impressions are that there are assumptions for the development of populism. However, this trend is characteristic not only in our country but also in Europe. Dissatisfaction entails the need to support populism which implies authoritarianism. It has nothing to do with ideology, there is left and right populism. But there is a difference that is discursive populism - it goes to the level of a story to please the voters before the elections. But ideological populism is more serious, here we have the identification of the people as a collective entity that is monopolized. Populists do not allow others to address the people. It has elements of abolishing liberalism in address. Populists want the people to decide through referendums, says for Utrinski briefing prof. Kiril Sharlamanov, from the International Balkan University.
Where democracy is weaker, populism is emerging. Where there are constant divisions, populism also appears. In the 19th century they were created because of the classes. This is not the case today. Consumerism is more important today than class division, comments prof. Шарламанов.
"In post-industrial society, today's economy is more service-oriented," he said, adding that identity is being built virtually.
- There is confusion, many analysts say that today we live in a fluid society, we do not have classical political parties and class divisions. The former are retiring, and the latter are either populists or are leaning towards the greens, says prof. Шарламанов.
Classic media have to follow a whole hierarchy to produce information, but today social networks allow everyone to be a medium in their own right. This is a prerequisite for the development of conspiracy theories.
