The conceptual excesses of populism and democracy: An alternative analysis from a pragmatic perspective

Abstract

The varieties of the democratic and populist experiences in Latin America have been characterized by a type of heterogeneity that is made from its double morphology: as historical and sociological phenomena, on the one hand, and as objects of study and conceptual issues, on the other. Therefore, we argue that it´s potentially virtuous to introduce analytical categories devoted to political reflection realizing that in doing so should subject specific criteria: in this process of definition and conceptual classification, to declare explicitly the connotative strict meaning of categories is a vital step if it is to avoid mismatches and ramblings. Antagonistically to the characterization of the ideal and the democratic exercise by any deterministic, reductive or monist means, we believe that the non-abdication to the necessary debate entails, in turn, by giving two thoughtful and practical issues facing the central claim itself: first, the renunciation of the idea that our democracy is inherently or naturally attached to populism in all its varieties or practices and that some of these varieties are the unequivocal destination possible to our democratic life. Second, to abandon the idea that our democracy has become essentially a petrified construct, and that their ideals and practices do not recognize the possibility of redescriptions and new scenarios favoring expansion of the citizenship spectra in the search of better experiences both subjective and communitarian.