The anti-authoritarian revolt: Right-wing populism as self-empowerment?. (February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lütjen, Torben
• Other Names: Blühdorn Ingolfur guest-editor.; Butzlaff Felix guest-editor.; Haderer Margaret guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: European journal of social theory. Volume 25:Number 1(2022)
• Page Start: 75
• Page End: 93
• Publication Date: 2022-02
• Subjects: Anti-authoritarianism -- emancipation -- epistemic authority -- populism -- self-empowerment; Social sciences -- Philosophy -- Periodicals; 301.01
• DOI: 10.1177/13684310211027113
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1368-4310

Abstract

Right-wing populism and authoritarianism are often thought to be closely linked to each other: conceptually, ideologically, historically. This article challenges that assumption by reinterpreting right-wing populism as an essentially anti-authoritarian movement. Right-wing populism diverges from the clearly authoritarian movements of the past, such as classic conservatism and fascism, in at least two important ways: first, it follows a distinctive epistemology with a different idea what constitutes the truth and who has access to it. Second, populism has a peculiar understanding of the ultimate source of political authority and the function of political leadership. My article shows how right-wing populists pursue a project of self-empowerment and appropriate notions of emancipation and autonomy for their own narrative.