Anti-elitism and the Constitution – Some Reflections on Populist Constitutionalism

doi:10.1017/9781009031103.004

Chapter 2 - Anti-elitism and the Constitution – Some Reflections on Populist Constitutionalism

from I - Populisms

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 March 2022

Edited by

Adam Czarnota and

Martin Krygier: Affiliation:
University of New South Wales, Sydney
Adam Czarnota: Affiliation:
University of New South Wales, Sydney
Wojciech Sadurski: Affiliation:
University of Sydney

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In this chapter I want to discuss the relationship between anti-elitism and liberal constitutionalism. Although anti-elitism is often defined as one of the two prongs of populist thin ideology,1 to define any possible attitude of populism towards constitutional democracy most, if not exclusive, attention has been paid to populism’s second prong, that is the appeal to a monolithic will of the people. The result has often been to end up in a vicious circle. Populist constitutionalism is usually described as proposing an institutional setting whereby populist governments entrench their power and privileges and weaken the media and the opposition by claiming to be morally backed by massive popular support. Populists are seen as betraying the core elements of liberal constitutionalism because they hold a perverted idea of popular sovereignty, which rejects most constitutional limitations that characterise liberal democracies.2 There is surely something appropriate in this reasoning and it is not my intention to question the conclusions of scholars who have followed this approach.3 My more limited aim is to enquire whether, and if so to what extent, the fundamental antagonism supported by populist ideology, and thus anti-elitism, can tell us something more about the attitude of populism towards constitutionalism.

Type: Chapter
Information: Anti-Constitutional Populism , pp. 67 - 98

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009031103.004 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2022

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Chapter 2 - Anti-elitism and the Constitution – Some Reflections on Populist Constitutionalism

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