Populism, Democratization and Democracy in Latin America

The paper analyzes the historical trajectory of populism in the region by contrasting classical and contemporary expressions of the phenomena. A key difference between old and new expressions of populism is that the latter take place in already democratized societies. That was not the case of classical regimes which promoted a transition away from dictatorial o oligarchic regimes to populist democracy. By contrast, the recent wave of populism operates in a context where democracy and the rule of law has been established. While classical experiences can claim a democratizing record, contemporary regimes have a more complicated relationship to democracy. The paper contrast two populist experiences to stress the continuities and discontinuities of Latin American populism.