Demagoguery refers to a political strategy injected with manipulative and emotional rhetoric that appeals to popular prejudices, often to gain or consolidate power. The term, per se, is often associated with leaders who seek populism in order to exploit the emotions and fears of the general public rather than relying on rational discourse. Although Demagoguery is subjective and frequently operates from behind a curtain, it is possible to recognize it through political cues and indicators. The whole notion of Demagoguery is distinguished from responsible governance by a fine boundary. The moment this nexus shifts from the latter is the time of birth of a demagogue in yet another part of the world. And this is the way demagoguery continues to persist in contemporary times, even in the most democratic nations.
The notion of populism and demagoguery is neither a dilemma of the present nor is it of the past; instead, it can be born out of nothing in any region in any time zone. Historical parallels are evident when we look at the examples of Cleon of Athens, an admirer of sycophancy, Louis XIV of France who called himself Sun King – with famous words of “L Etat c’estmoi” or “I am the state”, Mussolini’s idea of “New Man” to refashion humankind and Imran Khan’s presumption of “Riyasat-e-Madina”. This entire timely emergence of the populist quagmire has ended favoring a climate of impunity and intolerance.
Railway police claim to arrest thiefNot only demagoguery transcends time zones, but also regions. A common perception is that most of populist leaders belong to the Global South, but this is not entirely true. The biggest and........