Populism

The election of Donald J. Trump as the U.S. President in 2016, Brexit, Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, Geert Wilders in the Netherlands and Marine Le Pen’s National Front in France—these are just a few of the recent events that have focused the world’s attention on populism. What is populism? What causes it? Where do we see populism, and where is it absent?  Why? Is populism good or bad for democracy? Will a populist global wave force fundamental changes to international economic relations, or relations among (some or all) states? What the implications for policy, especially foreign policy and international economic policy? This Task Force will work with, and report to, the think tank and advocacy group Freedom House on how to define and measure populist movements and policies in key countries around the world.