Demagogues have always found a home in democratic forms of government. Democracies are fertile ground for all who wish to speak. Unfortunately this includes those who use the freedom to speak with malicious intent. The word was first coined by the ancient Greeks where, within the country’s democratic government, people could speak freely. The root word stemmed from their word for “leader of the people” and was applied to those who were good orators but also combative. The term took on a more negative context as time progressed.
The birth of modern demagoguery emanated from the period of the French Revolution. The revolutionary period from 1789 to the defeat of Napoleon in 1815 was rife with demagogic leaders. The response by European leaders was to impose monarchial government in a defeated France with the appointment of Napoleon II to the throne. Napoleon III took the throne in 1852 and was considered the father of modern demagogic strategy. The high point of his leadership was to make promises for land reform and prosperity for the poor. He claimed to be the protector of ordinary men, resisting exploitation by the rich. He also seized control of The Assembly, appointed loyal governors and judges and insisted on having the final voice on all decisions. None of his promises for the common man were achieved. His demise came with the desire for more power and eventually war with the Prussians who defeated the French and entered Paris in 1870.
Taking a page from the French were the American populists of the 1880’s. America was at the apex of an historic wealth gap, as captains of industry (less than one percent of the population) controlled the political system, banking, industry and access to capital. It was he time of the Robber Barrons who thrived in an absolutely corrupt political and economic system that penalized the masses under the guise of Social Darwinism.
It ws the advent of true reform movements during this period that allowed demagogues to ride on the coattails of reform. In the South and Mid-West populists like pitchfork Ben Tillman, Tom Watson, Ted Bilbo and a multitude of others railed against the wealth of the trusts and baited their constituents with racist talk, ethnic intolerance and sectarian hostility. All had disrespect for the law and through their power enriched themselves with kickbacks and bribes. Election tampering was a standard part of their behavior.
The demagogues of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, brought to the surface the frustration and anger of the masses of America. the disappearance of the westward movement and available government land programs furthered the stratification of society in the rural South and the ghettos of the East. The mass migrations from southern and eastern Europe as well as the cultural and economic suppression of southern blacks, led to an impoverished and uneducated population, powerless to integrate and ultimately marginalized by lower and middle class whites.
The depression days of the 1930’s saw the likes of Huey Long and “a chicken in every pot”, Ma and Pa Ferguson in Texas and Frank Hague in New Jersey. The story of Power and self-enrichment continued on an accelerated scale, as depression workers were wiling to latch on to any scheme that might improve their lot. Most of he schemes were bogus, but time and again, poor and middle class Americans listened to the false promises and voted them back into office. They were skillful orators and showmen, who identified themselves as “one of them” in the crowd. They understood the true underlying issues in America; poverty, racism and white Christian fear of losing control of their power.
Post World War II saw the emergence of identity politics included in the demagogues oratory. The fifties and sixties were the apex of the cold war era. The undercurrent in America was fear about the advance of Communism and nuclear war. The likes of Eugene McCarthy and Vito Marcantonio capitalized on the Communist issue from opposite poles. Vito was a communist from New York City whose base were Puerto Rican’s, Italians and Eastern Europeans. Vito’s focus was about social progress and he built power in the wards of the City, enriching himself on the way. Eugene McCarthy was well known as chair of the House Un-American Activities Committee. He used his pulpit to promote a frenzy of communist conspiracy theories that terrified a nation and destroyed the lives of many innocent people. His famous list of Communists in the government were fabricated. His goal was power and the presidency. Fortunately a few noble citizens called his game and destroyed his political career. Although local and state demagogues received press, McCarthy preempted George Wallace as the first “national” demagogue in post-World War II America.
The election of 2016 ushered in the first American presidential demagogue. Donald Trump’s campaign centered on anti-foreign and racist diatribes, while claiming to be the protector of the working man. His nativist approach to foreign policy focused on the damage foreign business had done to America. By promising to renew U.S. industry and hire more local workers, Trump would “Make America Great Again.” Other promises made included draining the swamp, eliminating the budget deficit, defeating China in a trade war and deconstructing the administrative state in Washington.
By the end of his administration in 2020, Trump had essentially done nothing for the common man, failed to restart American industry, re-filled the swamp with his own cronies, gave tax breaks to the rich and separated immigrant parents from their children. In addition he used foreign powers and the justice department to attack his political opponents, and deconstructed federal agencies in a manner to give him total control. His divisive and racist monologue and attack on the press for “fake news” diverted attention from the fact that he had told over 20,000 lies during his tenure. Trump enriched himself by billing the government for stays at his resorts. His impeachment speaks for itself. Trump’s abuse of power included contempt for civil and criminal law and abuse of the power of the purse. In the end, the lower and middle class received nothing.
The Covid 19 pandemic further compounded the president’s issues. Emotionally unable to problem solve, the president constructed a false narrative regarding the outbreak. Failing to implement a national plan for controlling the virus, he buried his head in the sand in hopes it would disappear. Politicizing the mask requirement and diminishing the role of science had the opposite effect on the electorate and caused unnecessary deaths. The election of 2020 went to the democrat, Joe Biden.
Trump appealed to those on the economic fringe, racists and anti foreign voters. He also appealed to an angry white electorate fearful of the direction liberal America was taking them. Magnifying those fears for the white republican base was the election of Barak Obama in 2008. Trump identified this back lash and poured fuel on the fire with all of the tools available to a demagogue. The phrase “Make America Great Again” was a myopic look at white control which, in retrospect, was racist and oligarchic. Obama’s election sounded the death knell for white privilege and set the stage for Trump’s surprising win in 2016.
Donald Trump fit the description of a demagogue perfectly. His persona lacked the ability to empathize, was highly narcissistic and could not be responsible for his actions. As a consequence, Trump blamed others for his own blunders and would seek revenge and would ostracize those who disagreed with him. His need for constant adoration motivated him to showmanship, grandiosity and deception.
Problem making versus problem solving, as illustrated by the Covid 19 crisis, pushed Trump’s fear of not being elected into a zone of denial and divisiveness. Failing to take the lead on solving the problem is characteristic of most demagogues.
Like most demagogues before him, Trump was anti-intellectual by nature and prone to lying, distorting reality and accepting conspiracy theories. He also appointed cronies that were incompetent or ill-trained but demonstrated complete loyalty. Furthermore, like most demagogues, he railed at the news media for “fake news” and threatened his political opponents with arrest and jail time. Trump’s desire for total control and decision -making authority derived from a sense of paranoia that accompanied his conspiracy theories. In general anti-intellectuals have a disregard for literature, science and education. Trump viewed intellectualism as an impediment to emotionalism. Logic, facts and reason were a threat to his desire for total control.
Demagogues will continue to be a feature of the American political landscape as long as part of the population feels dispossessed. In the South, the dispossessed will vote against their own economic interest in favor of maintaining the notion of whiteness in their communities. Black, Brown, and Asian Americans suffer from systemic racism and suppression at the ballot box as well in every day life. They will become the majority of the population within 20 years. The use of authoritarian governance by whites to suppress the majority will result in radicalization and possibly violence. The fears of White America would manifest themselves in the worst possible fashion.
America has become a “me against them” society. It is at a spiritual dead end. The concept of compassion and forgiveness are not relevant. Protestant religious theory has dominated much of the country’s past spiritual value system, The Trump era has demonstrated the parochial nature of its leaders. It has also demonstrated how deep racism has penetrated the Southern Baptist Church. It is fertile ground for demagogues and for those who continue to fear the changes to society.
The solution to the problem of racial and ethnic interests can only be met with some form of cooperation on a national scale. The evolutionary themes for all citizens are better education, proportionate representation and the elimination of economic inequality. Demonstrating the fact that all races are equal, given the same platform would be the proof needed for an inclusive democracy.
Note: this blog was written after the 2020 election but before January 6. More to come on megalomania. FW
American Commentary 