POPULISM AS A SYNDROME: THE POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY OF POPULIST ANTAGONISM

Year 2024, , 89 - 110, 18.03.2024

Gökhan Çin

https://doi.org/10.33630/ausbf.1132843

Abstract

In this article, it is aimed to evaluate the antagonistic nature of populism, which is on the rise at the global level, between the public and the elite, based on political psychology. In this context, based on the argument that the relationship between the agent and the structure occurs dialectically, why individuals support politicians who implement populist policies and the psychological factors of the rise of populism have been problematized. From this perspective, the distinctive features of populism, such as people-centrism, opposition to elites, and authoritarian leader elements embodied within the scope of general will have been specifically focused on. These qualities have been considered on the basis of especially social identity and group belonging and narcissism, within an approach based on political psychology. In the study, it has been argued that populism is a syndrome that emerges in the shadow of representative democracy. In this respect, it has been argued that populism has brought the current democracy crises to the agenda in different ways and mostly in an anti-democratic manner. As a result, it has been emphasized that populism promises a speculative "liberation" by appealing to individuals with pejorative emotions in the face of current inequalities and injustices, and that the rise of populism as of the 21st century is related to collective narcissism that emerges depending on alternative group and social identity belonging.

Keywords

Populism, Political Psychology, Democracy, Authoritarianism, Collective Narcissism

BİR SENDROM OLARAK POPÜLİZM: POPÜLİST ANTAGONİZMANIN SİYASET PSİKOLOJİSİ

Abstract

Bu makalede, küresel düzeyde hızla yükselişe geçen popülizmin halk ile seçkinler arasında meydana gelen antagonistik niteliğinin siyaset psikolojisi eksenli değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Bu bağlamda, özne ile yapı arasındaki ilişkinin diyalektik bir biçimde gerçekleştiği argümanı ekseninde bireylerin neden popülist politikalar benimseyen siyasetçileri desteklediği ve popülizmin hangi psikolojik etkenler sebebiyle yükselişe geçtiği sorgulanmıştır. Bu yaklaşım doğrultusunda popülizmin ayırt edici nitelikleri olarak halk merkezcilik, seçkin karşıtlığı ve genel irade kapsamında beliren otoriter lider unsurları üzerinde özenle durulmuştur. Söz konusu nitelikler, siyaset psikolojisi eksenli bir yaklaşım dahilinde özellikle toplumsal kimlik, grup aidiyetliği, narsisizm, bilişsel ve duygusal unsurlar temelinde değerlendirilmiştir. Çalışmada, popülizmin temsili demokrasinin gölgesinde beliren bir sendrom olduğu argümanı benimsenmiştir. Bu bakımdan popülizmin, mevcut demokrasi bunalımlarını farklı biçimlerde ve çoğunlukla anti demokratik şekilde gündeme getirdiği ileri sürülmüştür. Nihayetinde, mevcut eşitsizlik ve adaletsizlikler karşısında pejoratif duygulara sahip bireylere seslenerek kurgusal bir “kurtuluş” vaadinde bulunan popülizmin 21. yüzyıl itibarıyla yükselişe geçmesinin alternatif grup ve toplumsal kimlik aidiyetliğine bağlı olarak beliren kolektif narsisizm ile ilişkili olduğu vurgulanmıştır.

Keywords

Popülizm, Siyaset Psikolojisi, Demokrasi, Otoriterlik, Kolektif Narsisizm

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