Populism is on the rise around the world but the forms it takes can vary widely. Populists can align with the traditional left or right and can be liberal or conservative in their social values. What holds this diverse ideological family together is a sense that the will of the “true people” is being stymied by a corrupt elite — and that strong leadership is necessary to break that system. As tracked by a recent Ipsos poll, populist thought includes beliefs that “the system is broken,” “the economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful,” “traditional parties and politicians don’t care about people like me,” and “to fix our country, we need a strong leader willing to break the rules.”
This commentary focuses on the last of these beliefs, the need for a strong leader willing to break the rules. Ipsos found that 49 percent of respondents in 28 countries agreed with this sentiment. In the United States, the breakdown was 40 percent “agree” vs. 27 percent “disagree.” (See page 27 of the report.)
