, Columnist
Why Populists Lose Elections
Anger is easy to mobilize but hard to consolidate.
Right-wing demagogues demonize others.
Photographer: Gerardo MoraThis article is for subscribers only.
In a democracy, the “people” are the supreme arbiters, and their wisdom speaks through the electoral process. Such is the assumption on which the modern world has been built since God and monarchs began to fade from the scene. Lately, however, the wisdom of the people has felt a bit off-key. In one country after another, from the Philippines to the U.S., Hungary to India, the people have chosen to boost demagogues, not to mention serial gropers.
QuickTake How the U.S. Elects Its Presidents