Istotność kwestii krytyki reprezentacji demokratycznej w ideach populistycznych
The Significance of Criticism of Democratic Representation in Populist Ideas

Summary/Abstract: This article analyzes the concept of populism as a key phenomenon influencing contemporary democratic systems. The primary aim of the study is to identify the essence of modern populist ideas and to examine how non-populist democratic political parties adopt elements of populist rhetoric without embracing the populist critique of political representation, which focuses on challenging intermediary bodies and supranational organizations.The study employs a methodology combining theoretical analysis and comparative methods. The author examines the weaknesses of various conceptualizations of populism – such as the ideational theory of micro-ideology, the discursive theory, and the strategic approach – in order to propose an understanding of populism as a micro-ideology expanded by the inclusion of criticism of contemporary democratic representation practices. The analysis also includes examples drawn from contemporary Western politics.The article concludes that populism is inherently connected to a critique of democratic institutions and at least postulation of their transformation. In contrast, common manifestations of democratic politics that merely employ selected elements of populist do not question the institutional order of liberal democracy and, unlike populism, do not constitute instances of illiberalism.

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