Populism

Javier Milei: 'You Don't Beat Populism by Practicing Populism'

At a conference co-sponsored by the Reason Foundation, the Argentine president made the case for principled governance.

Javier Milei | From the December 2026 issue

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(Photo: Melissa Mann)

The December 2026 issue of Reason explores Argentine President Javier Milei's accomplishments and what is yet to be done.

We always say that government operates through three paths.

One of them is extremely important, and it is the one I came from: the cultural battle. All of us, in one way or another, wage that battle wherever we can, spreading the ideas of liberty and explaining the benefits of freedom.

But ideas alone aren't enough.

I remember that before getting involved in politics, I once went to dinner with someone. In the middle of dinner, this person kept saying, "Yes, very interesting, very interesting." Then he called his son and asked him to bring one of the political ballots that people use to vote. He said, "Ah, wonderful," put the ballot down........

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