Reich: A leader brings out the best in his followers. A demagogue brings out the worst.
A leader brings out the best in his followers. A demagogue brings out the worst. Leaders inspire tolerance. Demagogues incite hate.
Leaders empower the powerless; they give them voice and respect. Demagogues scapegoat the powerless; they use scapegoating as a means to fortify their power. Leaders calm peoples’ irrational fears. Demagogues exploit them.
Back to the current crop of Presidential candidates: Who are the leaders, and who are the demagogues? The leaders have sought to build bridges with those holding different views.
Rand Paul spoke at Berkeley, for example, seeking common ground with the university’s mostly-progressive students. Bernie Sanders traveled to Liberty University where most students and faculty disagree with his positions on gay marriage and abortion.
http://robertreich.org/post/131884484780
Almost needless to say, Reich goes on to explain how Trump and Carson fall into the demagogue category. He could have listed practically every republican candidate if he had wanted to.