By Brandt Mannchen

Populism is often described by the media and political parties as negative and based upon demagoguery (the use of popular prejudices, false claims, and promises to gain power).  This depiction is unfair and not true.  Populism is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as “an egalitarian political philosophy or movement that celebrates and promotes the views and interests of the common people.”

Populism criticizes the establishment and takes its root in an antagonistic relationship between the common people and elites.  The elites are those in power who dominate the economic, political, cultural, military, and media establishments and place their interests above other people.

Populism is one way that environmentalists can reach out and educate people about the problems that humans have created on Planet Earth including:  climate change, water use and pollution, air pollution, diversity of life, land development, and a host of other issues.  Some strategies to make populism work for the environment include:

1) To build a progressive, democratic, environmental movement that will be supported by people we need local issues and elections to begin and refine the landscape.

2) We must make those we elect accountable for what they promise.  We do this by confronting elected officials when they don’t do what they say, provide support, information, staffing, and expertise to those elected, and work both inside and outside the political system to make long-term structural changes that support better environmental decisions.

3) We do not win all the time or the first time.  Close political races can bring in new activists, help participants develop skills, talents, and knowledge, increase support for environmental issues, build organizations and networks, and ready the next winning campaign.  Success requires that the group constantly expand itself.

4) Big environmental issues that cut across all types of racial, ethnic, gender, religious, and partisan lines are needed to unite a winning coalition and push forward progress.

5) Building support for environmental issues is not something that can be done instantly.  Usually it takes a long view to move forward and make progress via steps that turn the political momentum our way. 

6) Finally, always move forward, push, organize, mobilize, align, and never quit.  You cannot advance if you are standing still.  Always have a plan to move your environmental issue forward and into the limelight.

Using these strategies will help make environmentalists more successful, powerful, and lead to a cleaner, safer, Planet. 

References

1) “Populism Is Not a Four-Letter Word”, POCLAD (Program on Corporations, Law and Democracy), James M. Price, January 29, 2019, email message.

2) “Bold, Plain-talk, progressive populism excites voters across many lines of difference”, Jim Hightower, The Hightower Lowdown, Volume 21, Number 1, January 2019. 

Brandt Mannchen

brandtshnfbt@juno.com