In democracy's birthplace, pope warns of populist threats

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By NICOLE WINFIELD and DEREK GATOPOULOS

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Pope Francis warned Saturday that the “easy answers” of populism and authoritarianism are threatening democracy in Europe and called for fresh dedication to promoting the common good.

Arriving in Greece, the birthplace of democracy, Francis used a speech to Greek political and cultural leaders to warn Europe at large about the threats facing the continent. He said only robust multilateralism can address the pressing issues of the day, from protecting the environment to fighting the pandemic and poverty.

“Politics needs this, in order to put common needs ahead of private interests,” Francis said. “Yet we cannot avoid noting with concern how today, and not only in Europe, we are witnessing a retreat from democracy.”

Later Saturday, Francis met with the leader of Greece’s Orthodox Church, Archbishop Ieronymos, and was briefly heckled as he arrived at the archbishop’s residence.



Pope Francis delivers his speech during a meeting with authorities, at the Presidential Palace, in Athens, Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. Pope Francis arrived to Greece Saturday for the second leg of his trip to the region with meetings in Athens aimed at bolstering recently-mended ties between the Vatican and Orthodox churches. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis, Pool)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-lifestyle-greece-migration-athens-de0968a59fb782eafc412712c5b9ff43

[PoliticAverse]

1. The Pope warning about "authoritarianism" broke my irony meter. n/t

[Hortensis]

6. :) But as long as your survival instincts and good sense are still intact.

[hlthe2b]

2. I feel as though Pope Francis has a real target on his back. He may not be all that we want, but he

certainly is giving us a lot of what we need right now and the RW (including US RW Bannonites and Opus Dei-type Catholic extremists damned well hate it).

I guess all we can hope is that he's managed to surround himself with the loyal.

[William Seger]

3. It's not populism; it's tribalism

Populists see politics as a struggle between the elites, i.e. rich and powerful, and the common people, and they take the side of the people. Right-wing pseudo-populist demagogues want you to see politics as a struggle between people like you and everyone else -- which somehow excludes the elites but instead specifically targets racial and ethnic groups that have little wealth or power.

[peppertree]

4. +1

Corporate mouthpieces in the media have succeeded in conflating populism (which they hate) with fascism - which Big Business (with exceptions) supports and funds.

Just as they funded Hitler's rise to power, and many other dictators besides.

[empedocles]

5. Agree

[Hortensis]

7. If that was populism, the Nazis would have turned Germany

into an egalitarian utopia, or at least as close as they could manage. Same for Pol Pot's populist movement in Cambodia. Lenin's murderous populism-powered revolution in Russia. All the big, bloody revolutions are powered by giant populist mobs who've gathered behind a strongman leader who promises destruction. And thousands of smaller overthrows and attempts too, of course.

Certainly, let's not forget tRump's RW fascist (ultra-authoritarian) populist movement right here. Notably, and this is an important clue to what populism's about, the trumpists also include those populists who moved from Sanders' class-warfare populism to tRump's fascistic populism when Sanders didn't get the nomination. A minority of all Sanders' followers, of course, but think the attack dogs, the vicious liars about Democrats, the aggressive swarms of "bros," the lock her up types.

Populism does not mean "the people." It means a subset motivated and manipulated by dark emotions who search out strongman who'll lead the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad anti-establishment movement they yearn for. You are correct that they are all anti-establishment -- that's defining of populism, doesn't matter so much whether it's good or bad, it's the establishment. But significantly, their interest is far more in destroying than in what might replace it (see above). Successful populist leaders, like tRump, can lead their followers pretty much wherever they choose.

And there is such a thing as LW authoritarianism to go with the desire for strongman leaders, though like all the il-liberal, antidemocratic, destructive passions, including racist antagonisms, conservative populists seem to outmatch all but the worst a bunch of times over.

A great deal has been written on populism, which is of course of especially great interest these days. More than plenty for them to study before time to flee the country if it comes to that, then study from outside.

[pnwmom]

8. Many authoritarians POSE as populists -- that's how they get elected.

And those are the groups in Europe that the Pope is warning about.

[appalachiablue]

9. +1