Die Neue Zeit
14th June 2008, 16:22
I have been thinking about one particular instance of a shift in language for some time now, so long in fact that I haven't posted it yet. :(
The classical liberals preferred the word "republic," and equated "democracy" with mob rule. In turn, the classical Social-Democrats embraced the word. Now, however, since "republicanism" is an obscure word, everyone loves "democracy," but then a new Bad Media Word has emerged - "populism":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Populism
We all know that the word "populist" has been co-opted by national-bourgeois elements at times, most notably in developing countries, but now even they have discarded the word. What's right or wrong with adopting a "popular front" tactic (as opposed to Trotsky's "united workers' front" stuff) or social-labour "populism" as a brand with the shift in language?
FYI for North American readers:
Populist Party of America (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Populist_Party_of_America)
Ten Planks (http://www.populistamerica.com/ten_planks)
Not that I endorse the party's weird mix of views, per se (indeed VERY different from the "Libertarian" Party in embracing direct democracy); civic democracy is nothing without economic democracy, and even then both are nothing without a distinctively working-class emphasis.
The classical liberals preferred the word "republic," and equated "democracy" with mob rule. In turn, the classical Social-Democrats embraced the word. Now, however, since "republicanism" is an obscure word, everyone loves "democracy," but then a new Bad Media Word has emerged - "populism":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Populism
We all know that the word "populist" has been co-opted by national-bourgeois elements at times, most notably in developing countries, but now even they have discarded the word. What's right or wrong with adopting a "popular front" tactic (as opposed to Trotsky's "united workers' front" stuff) or social-labour "populism" as a brand with the shift in language?
FYI for North American readers:
Populist Party of America (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Populist_Party_of_America)
Ten Planks (http://www.populistamerica.com/ten_planks)
Not that I endorse the party's weird mix of views, per se (indeed VERY different from the "Libertarian" Party in embracing direct democracy); civic democracy is nothing without economic democracy, and even then both are nothing without a distinctively working-class emphasis.