Populism and Polarisation – a Threat to Our Democracy?
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Kasper Juul Willumsen MSc. IBP Populism and Political Polarisation Populism and Polarisation – A Threat to our Democracy? A Thesis By Kasper Juul Willumsen Master’s Thesis; MSc. International Business and Politics, Copenhagen Business School Student Number: 93340 Supervisor: Tine Rostgaard STU Count: 156.469 – Number of pages; 70 SuBmitted the 15th of May, 2019 1 Kasper Juul Willumsen MSc. IBP Populism and Political Polarisation Abstract This thesis is concerned with answering the research question: how do Danish political youth actors understand and assess the role of populism, and in extension, the impact of polarizing tendencies on the political sphere? I have Chosen to do so By applying a deductive approach, using the theoretical frameworks “What is Populism” By Jan Werner Müller, and “The New Spirit of Capitalism” By Luc Boltanski and Chiapello, to base the project in and compare my findings with. Through a critical discourse analysis Based on interviews with representatives from different youth parties across the Danish political spectrum, the question of what populism is and whether it is a threat to democracy has Been examined closely. Among prominent findings, were discourses related to youth parties being perceived by the interviewees as more extreme and focussed on the younger audiences, as opposed to the elected political parties present in the Danish parliament. Discourses would to some extent the perspective Jan Werner Müller provided on populism, that it exhiBits a threat to democracy, due to its illusive nature, paired with its presence Being rooted in real frustrations felt By people neglected by politicians. Discussions arised on the Basis of whether direct measures should Be taken to combat populist tendencies and increased polarization, or whether trust should be instilled in the market and capitalist system, assuming the system could provide for itself, even during a rise of populist and polarising tendencies. 2 Kasper Juul Willumsen MSc. IBP Populism and Political Polarisation Table of contents Populism and Polarisation – A Threat to our Democracy? .......................................................... 1 Abstract ................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 5 The Concept of Populism ........................................................................................................................ 8 Political Polarization ........................................................................................................................................ 11 Understanding Populism Today ........................................................................................................ 13 Polarization in the Danish Political Sphere ................................................................................... 15 Methodology and Research Design .................................................................................................. 19 Research Question and desiGn ...................................................................................................................... 19 Research Question: How do Danish political youth actors understand and assess the role of populism, and in extension, the impact of polarizing tendencies on the political sphere? ................ 19 Secondary Research Questions ..................................................................................................................... 20 Scientific ReasoninG: Social Constructivism ............................................................................................. 22 Discourse Analysis ............................................................................................................................................ 25 Case: Danish Political Youth Parties ........................................................................................................... 28 Interviews and codinG ..................................................................................................................................... 30 Analysis – Populism and Polarisation in Danish Politics .......................................................... 32 Presentation ........................................................................................................................................................ 33 Ole Nielsen, SUF (Socialistisk Ungdomsfront) – Socialism or BarBarism .................................................. 35 IsaBel Havndrup Aackmann, Radikale Venstres Ungdom (RU) – “To me It does not matter whether your great, great Grandfather was Born in Pakistan or Skive” .................................................... 36 Lasse Haugaard, DSU (Dansk Socialdemokratisk Ungdom) – Why are we discussing over- achievers, when there are people struggling? ....................................................................................................... 37 August Stensgaard, VU (Venstres Ungdom) – “The market can take care of many of the issues our society has today” .............................................................................................................................................................. 38 Member of DFU, (Dansk Folkepartis Ungdom) – you don’t have to choose Between globalization and Danish culture, when you can have Both ........................................................................................................ 39 Member of LAU (LiBeral Alliances Ungdom) - I don’t have the moral superiority to physically prohibit people from using drugs, while mobilizing police forces to arrest and do so” ..................... 41 Establishing Discourses – Combining Theory with The Interviews ................................................. 42 3 Kasper Juul Willumsen MSc. IBP Populism and Political Polarisation The Nature of Danish Youth Politics .......................................................................................................................... 43 On the topic of general communication in the Danish Political Sphere ..................................................... 47 On the Nature of Elites and the population / the “People” .............................................................................. 49 Populism and Polarization - what role do these phenomena play within society? ............................... 55 Discussion – populism, Capitalism and the role of critique in Modern Society ................ 61 Is there an Alternative to Capitalism? ........................................................................................................ 61 Better leGislation or more social responsibility? ................................................................................... 66 The state of Society ........................................................................................................................................... 70 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 74 References ................................................................................................................................................ 77 Appendices ............................................................................................................................................... 78 Appendix 1: Interview Ole Nielsen – Member of SUF (Socialistisk UnGdomsfront) .................... 78 Appendix 2: Interview With Member of DFU (Dansk Folkepartis UnGdom) ................................. 92 Appendix 3: Interview With Isabel Havndrup Aackmann (Kultur- ret- og etik-ordfører fra RU) ............................................................................................................................................................................... 102 Appendix 4: Interview with a Member from LAU (Liberal Alliances UnGdom) .......................... 114 Appendix 5: Interview with AuGust StenGaard (Member of VU Venstres UnGdom) ................. 127 Appendix 6: Interview with Lasse HauGaard (member of DSU Dansk Socialdemokratisk UnGdom) ............................................................................................................................................................. 139 4 Kasper Juul Willumsen MSc. IBP Populism and Political Polarisation Introduction Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Benito Mussolini: perhaps among the most famous of what we consider to have been modern (day) populist leaders. Looking Back at the horrific legacies they left behind as heads of state and dictators of their respective countries, it is globally viewed upon with distain and frown, while some of the speeches that have Been preserved to this day, might give the chilling sensation of a nation, blind to the horrors of the true nature of their future leaders. The, Back then, Charismatic Adolf Hitler, spoke to a Germany, ensnared in debt and despair, and sparked new hope for a better and brighter future for the German people. Mussolini stepped in and took charge of a fragile post-war Italy, inspiring a new generation to the teachings and discipline of fascism. Joseph Stalin, was like Mussolini, teaching his ideology to the youth, touring universities, But this time on the suBject of communism, as a scholar