This book deals with two forms of today's populism - the Western European stubborn-child form, and the more serious show-it-all pendant that turns its head very keenly towards autocracy. Is there a way to understand right-wing populism? Are there differences between the two mentioned sorts and if so, what are the aims of them? And is it possible that populist regimes, in some way, are not even too wrong in what they proclaim?
"Ritalin and Upper Limits. On European Populism and the voluntary new obedience in parts of the society." tries to answer questions like these and to open up the readers' minds towards the way of thinking of populist leaders and their followers; the author tried his best to do it with as little judgement of any direction as possible and hopes he succeeded and could offer you a diverting and educating read.
NOTE: "Ritalin and Upper Limits. On the European Populism and the voluntary new obedience in parts of the society." is the author's English translation of his work "Ritalin & Obergrenze. Über den europäischen Populismus und den freiwilligen neuen Gehorsam in Teilen der Gesellschaft". The sources used and named in the appendix are mostly in German, if you want further reading, try to find them in your preferred language.
Table of Contents
1. Ritalin and Upper Limits. On the European Populism and the voluntary new obedience in parts of the society.
Objectives and Topics
This essay explores the mechanisms of how enemy images are constructed and propagated within populist movements, specifically comparing the political situation in Hungary under the Fidesz administration with Western European right-wing populism to determine differences in their systems of exclusion.
- The psychological and political emergence of enemy images.
- The instrumentalization of fear and the reinterpretation of morality.
- Comparative analysis of Eastern European vs. Western European right-wing populism.
- The impact of populist rhetoric on democratic foundations and media freedom.
Excerpt from the Book
Ritalin and Upper Limits. On the European Populism and the voluntary new obedience in parts of the society.
Burning refugee homes and little lovingly yelled slogans (preferably with a charming dialect to it) today are images to us that have become every-day realities. Peter Brückner writes that, at least in the light of his time, an authoritarian father figure with his strong hand and severity would become obsolete (cf. Brückner 1966, 20). He justified this with the emergence and establishment of the industrial society, in which policy is mainly concerned with the creation and maintenance of circumstances (cf. ibid.). Rather, the education of adolescents now is practiced by the cultural tradition that is controlled by society and incorporated by parents. The child, which quickly learns that it leads to reprisals, if one behaves against valid social conventions (for example by parental sanctions), thus adopts the social rules of the game in blind trust in the parental judgment (cf. ibid., 23), applies this to future generations just as unquestioned and thus prevents the true development of the individual in the case of nonconformity by condemning statements such as "You do not do something like that [in our noble society]!".
But what happens when individual people turn it to the opposite? If they question the current society and thus politics, regard them as transfigured and naïve, accuse them of a rosy, unreflected view of the world and see themselves as the center of the absolute truth of the world? If they gather in groups, form parties, wanting to spread and implement their views immensely and, if need be, they want to do so violently? And why are these views often so diligently accepted and incorporated by others?
Summary of Chapters
1. Ritalin and Upper Limits. On the European Populism and the voluntary new obedience in parts of the society.: This chapter introduces the theoretical problem of authoritarian tendencies in modern society, defines the scope of the essay regarding populist exclusion practices, and outlines the political developments in Hungary as a case study for autocratic shifts within the European Union.
Keywords
Populism, Right-wing populism, Enemy images, Demonization, Hungary, Fidesz, Viktor Orbán, Propaganda, Exclusion, Democracy, Media freedom, Nationalism, Authoritarianism, Social resentment, Identity politics
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental subject of this work?
The work examines the rise of populist movements in Europe, specifically focusing on how they utilize the construction of enemy images and fear to gain political power and social acceptance.
What are the central thematic fields?
The central fields include the psychology of demonization, the manipulation of collective identity, political propaganda, and the erosion of liberal democratic values in favor of autocratic structures.
What is the primary research goal?
The primary goal is to analyze the mechanisms of populism and determine whether and how the systems of exclusion differ between Eastern European contexts, specifically Hungary, and Western European populism.
Which scientific method is applied?
The author employs a sociopolitical and psychological analytical approach, drawing on established theories from researchers like Peter Brückner, Niklas Luhmann, and Robert Miles to evaluate contemporary political phenomena.
What is addressed in the main part?
The main part covers the historical and political trajectory of Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party, the creation of nationalistic narratives, the restriction of media freedom, and the conceptual differences between various forms of right-wing populism.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include populism, demonization, identity politics, autocracy, and the instrumentalization of fear.
How does the author categorize the current state of European populism?
The author distinguishes between a "pubescent," reactive type of populism in Western Europe and a more radical, state-integrated autocratic form found in Eastern Europe, such as in Hungary.
What role does the Hungarian constitution play in this analysis?
The author uses the 2011/2012 constitutional changes in Hungary as a prime example of how populist leaders manipulate legal frameworks to centralize power and exclude groups that do not conform to their defined national values.
- Quote paper
- René Nieland (Author), 2018, Ritalin and Upper Limits. On the European Populism and the voluntary new obedience in parts of the society, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/412732
