Venezuela's Chavismo and Populism in Comparative Perspective

Examines the populist movement of Hugo Chávez in Venezuela and argues that populism is primarily a response to widespread corruption.

This book examines the populist movement of Hugo Chávez in Venezuela and argues that populism is a response to widespread corruption. It measures populism across Venezuela and other countries and also explores the influence of populist ideas on political organization and policies.Populism is best understood as a Manichaean world view linked to a characteristic language or discourse. Chavismo, the movement that sustains Hugo Chávez in Venezuela, is a paradigmatic instance of populism. Using a novel, cross-country dataset on populist discourse, combined with extensive data from within Venezuela and across other countries, this book demonstrates that populist movements can be understood as responses to widespread corruption and economic crisis. The book analyzes the Bolivarian Circles and government missions in Venezuela, revealing how populist ideas influence political organization and policy. The analysis provides important insight into the nature of populism, including its causes and consequences, and addresses broader questions about the role of ideas in politics.