Populism in power—A comparative analysis of populist governance

Abstract

In this paper, we seek to explore whether populism, when in power, is guided by a particular logic of governance that can be derived from the logic of populism itself. To this end, we develop an ideal type of populist governance and apply it to case studies of India, the United States, Venezuela, and Hungary. Methodologically, the cross-regional comparison with a Most Different Systems Design is carried out through a structured, focused comparison. We conclude that populism in power has a tendency toward autocracy that is inherent in populist governance logic. This may manifest itself “only” in democratic backsliding or regression, that is, in a deterioration of the quality of democracy, but it can also lead to autocratization.