Democracy and Populism: Fear and Hatred by John Lukacs

Phil Bennett

History Dept. Chair

Evangelical Christian School
Memphis, TN

 

     As the United States ventures further into the twenty-first century, many Americans are concluding that our culture is at a crossroads.  One area in which this can readily be seen is in the scope of American government and politics.  This year our history department began reading a book that explores this very issue.  Noted historian John Lukacs, usually acknowledged for his expertise on Winston Churchill and Adolf Hitler, tackles the issue of the changing shape of our political philosophy in his 2005 work, Democracy and Populism: Fear and Hatred. It is written in a manner that can be difficult to comprehend at times, but the greater points the author makes are noteworthy.  Lukacs’ historical acumen makes his argument very compelling.

     Lukacs views Alexis de Tocqueville as being particularly visionary.  In his work, Democracy in America, Tocqueville looks upon America glowingly.  The possibilities for America were great.

Americans tend to like the praise heaped upon us, but often Toqueville’s second volume is ignored as he offers warnings of a democratic system left unchecked. This is the crux of Lukacs’ argument.

He grapples over ideas such as the value of universal suffrage. His point is that granting suffrage to all has allowed our system to become more of a direct democracy rather than a representative one, as our founding fathers intended.  Whether one agrees with this presumption or not, it does provide great fodder for debate.

     From this premise of majority rule comes the philosophy of populism.  The author indicates that this is what the United States has become.  In other words, what the people want the people get.  If so, how do we know what we want?  We are directed by those who hold positions of power.  Sentiment has replaced opinion.  Propaganda and entertainment have replaced knowledge.  Politicians use the tactics of Madison Avenue to sell their agendas to the people, knowing that if the majority of the people accept their ideas, they will be successful in fulfilling their agendas.

      Lukacs proposed that our leaders have used the element of fear to bring about the control they seek. This is best evidenced in the fear of communism rife during the Cold War.  In hindsight, Soviet capabilities during this time were somewhat overestimated, but the government continued to play up those possibilities in an effort to foment support.  Lukacs follows this line of thought by saying that fear has turned into hatred.  In his view, this hatred is not necessarily directed at another nation, but more so at other Americans.  For instance, conservatives hate liberals.  It is a form of misdirected nationalism that cements support for the conservatives in power.  Liberals are cast as unpatriotic if they oppose a war, or some other conservative cause.  Whether one agrees with the author’s line of thinking or not, it should at least give us cause for reflection.  What have we become?

     The need to reflect on our national attitude is especially true for those holding a Christian worldview.  The Christian needs to be discerning about the information that is being disseminated.  What is the agenda of those who are giving the information?  Often the facts are distorted in an effort to gather support from a group that is vital for their re-election.  If anything, Democracy and Populism should be viewed as a call to think rather than to simply respond like lemmings and continue to follow the mantra of the day.