The Populist Explosion

Far and away the most incisive examination of the central development in contemporary politics: the rise of populism on both the right and the left...Judis demonstrates the crucial role of the 2008 recession in discrediting the neoliberal agenda. This is must reading. -- Thomas Edsall, New York Times columnistA Fareed Zakaria GPS Book of the Week: An intelligent guide to a phenomenon by no means over. -- Fareed Zakaria, CNNWell-written and well-researched, powerfully argued and perfectly timed. -- The EconomistWhat is populism? And why have populist parties and candidates suddenly sprung up and even gained power in the United States and Western Europe? The emergence of Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump, France's Marine LePen, Podemos in Spain, Syriza in Greece, and the Alternative for Germany are signs that an older consensus about politics and government is breaking down.John B. Judis, one of America's most respected political analysts, tells us why we need to learn about the populist movement that began in the United States in the 1890s, the politics of which have recurred on both sides of the Atlantic ever since. Populism, on both the right and the left, champions the people against an establishment, based on issues--globalization, free trade, immigration--on which there has been a strong elite consensus, but also a strong mass discontent that is now breaking out into the open.The Populist Explosion is essential reading for our times as we grapple to understand the political forces at work here and in Europe.Featured as one of Six Books to Help Understand Trump's Win by The New York TimesNamed one of the Best Books of 2016 by BloombergNamed one of 11 Books that Will Make You Smarter about Politics by Business Insider