The Populist Delusion (Neema Parvini)

Thoughts on elite theory, through an update of James Burnham's "The Machiavellians." And most importantly, of whether overthrow of our current regime depends on the prior development of a counter-elite (sneak peek—it does not).

The written version of this article can be found here: https://theworthyhouse.com/2022/09/05/the-populist-delusion-neema-parvini/

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This and all Worthy House narrations are offered with accurate closed captions (not auto-generated).

"What is populism? The snap answer is rule by the people. The more accurate answer is rule by an elite who strongly claim that they govern on behalf of the whole people. That claim is sometimes true and sometimes false, but as Neema Parvini’s The Populist Delusion, a compact summary of what is often called elite theory, pithily shows, it is always an elite who actually rules. Thus, the key question for a society’s flourishing is whether it is ruled by a virtuous elite, who rules for the common good, or by a rotten elite, as America is ruled by now. Embedded in this question is another question, however—how an elite can be removed and replaced. This latter question is the most important question in 2022 America." . . .