Reflections of Right-Wing Populism in the Covid-19 Pandemic: An Analysis of Trump and Bolsonaro’s  Approaches

Yıl 2024, Cilt: 48 Sayı: 4, 920 - 952, 15.12.2024

Burak İyiekici

Öz

This study examines right-wing populist thought and practice through the administrations of Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro during the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, it is seen that the almost indistinguishable similarity of the two leaders’ discourses and practices during the Covid-19 pandemic stems from their right-wing populist orientations. This study focuses on the alignment between the basic elements of the populist right and the governance of Trump and Bolsonaro during the pandemic.
The study begins by discussing the general conceptual framework of populism. It is emphasized that populism is an approach that defends popular sovereignty against elites and encourages the direct voice of the people. In this context, populism is analyzed through elements such as leader-public identification, anti-elite, the leader’s use of simple and understandable language and direct communication with the public. The study also focuses on the main characteristics of right-wing populism and examines its critical approaches based on nationalism, economic protectionism, conservatism and neoliberalism.
The study evaluates how right-wing populist leaders have handled the pandemic and what strategies they have adopted in this process through important critical statements and practices. In this context, Donald Trump’s management of the pandemic is explained in terms of his ambivalence about the use of vaccines and masks, his inconsistent approaches to health measures, and his recommendation of some practices that are not accepted by the scientific world. In addition, Trump’s variable attitude towards the proposed health measures and his efforts to implement his own political program by identifying with the public are examined as concrete outputs of right-wing populism in crisis management. Jair Bolsonaro’s management of the pandemic process is also discussed in the context of his opposition to vaccines and masks, his distant approach to health experts, some conspiratorial views and his attitude prioritizing the economy. Bolsonaro’s criticisms of health measures and their connection to right-wing populism are also analyzed.
In conclusion, this study demonstrates the relationship between Trump and Bolsonaro’s governance during the pandemic and the core elements of right-wing populism, in other words, the compatibility of their crisis management strategies and practices with the core orientations of the populist right. Therefore, this study attempts to place the governance of these leaders in a specific theoretical context by revealing how right-wing populism is shaped in a concrete crisis period.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Trump, Bolsonaro, Populism, Right-Wing Populism, COVID-19.

Sağ Popülizmin COVID-19 Krizindeki Yansımaları: Trump ve Bolsonaro’nun Yaklaşımlarının Analizi

Öz

Bu çalışma, sağ popülist düşünce ve pratiği, Donald Trump ve Jair Bolsonaro’nun COVID-19 pandemisi sürecindeki yönetimleri üzerinden incelemektedir. Buna göre iki liderin Covid-19 pandemisindeki söylem ve uygulamalarının, neredeyse birbirinden ayırt edilmesi olanaksız bir biçimde benzerlik göstermesinin, iki liderin sağ popülist yönelimlerinden kaynaklandığı görülmektedir. Bu paralelde çalışma, popülist sağın temel unsurlarıyla Trump ve Bolsonaro’nun salgın döneminde gösterdikleri yönetimin uyumunu konu edinmektedir.
Çalışma, popülizmin genel kavramsal çerçevesini ele alarak başlamaktadır. Popülizmin, elitlere karşı halk egemenliğini savunan ve halkın doğrudan sesini duyurmasını teşvik eden bir yaklaşım olduğu vurgulanmaktadır. Popülizmin bu bağlamda lider-halk özdeşleşmesi, elit karşıtlığı, liderin basit ve anlaşılır dil kullanımı ve halkla doğrudan iletişim kurması gibi unsurlar üzerinden analiz edilmiştir. Çalışma, sağ popülizmin temel karakteristik özelliklerine de odaklanarak onun milliyetçiliğe, ekonomik korumacılığa, muhafazakârlığa ve neoliberalizme dayanan kritik yaklaşımlarını da incelemektedir.
Çalışma sağ popülist liderlerin, pandemiyi nasıl ele aldıklarını ve bu süreçte hangi stratejileri benimsediklerini, önemli kritik açıklama ve uygulamaları üzerinden değerlendirmiştir. Bu bağlamda Donald Trump’ın pandemi yönetimi, aşı ve maske kullanımı konusundaki kararsızlığı, sağlık önlemlerine karşı tutarsız yaklaşımları ve bilim dünyası tarafından kabul edilmeyen bazı uygulamaları halka önermesi ekseninde açıklanmıştır. Ayrıca Trump’ın önerilen sağlık önlemlerine yönelik değişken tutumu ve halkla özdeşlik kurarak kendi politik programını hayata geçirme çabaları, sağ popülizmin kriz yönetimindeki somut çıktıları olarak incelenmiştir. Jair Bolsonaro’nun pandemi sürecindeki yönetimi ise yine aşı ve maske karşıtlığı, sağlık uzmanlarına mesafeli yaklaşımı, birtakım komplocu görüşleri ve ekonomiyi önceleyen tutumu bağlamında ele alınmıştır. Bolsonaro’nun sağlık önlemlerine karşı olan eleştirileri ve bu eleştirilerin sağ popülizmle olan bağlantısı da ayrıca analiz edilmiştir. Sonuç olarak bu çalışma, Trump ve Bolsonaro’nun pandemi sürecindeki yönetimlerinin sağ popülizmin temel unsurlarıyla ilişkisini, başka bir ifadeyle bu liderlerin kriz yönetimindeki stratejileri ve pratiklerinin popülist sağın temel yönelimleriyle uyumluluğunu göstermektedir. Dolayısıyla bu çalışma, sağ popülizmin somut bir kriz döneminde nasıl şekillendiğini ortaya koyarak söz konusu liderlerin yönetimlerini belirli bir teorik bağlama oturtmayı denemektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Trump, Bolsonaro, popülizm, sağ popülizm, covid-19

Etik Beyan

Bu çalışma için etik kurul onayı gerekmemektedir.

Destekleyen Kurum

Bu çalışma için herhangi bir kurumdan finansman almadığımı beyan ederim.

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