The people, no : a brief history of anti-populism

**From the prophetic author of the now-classic __What’s the Matter with Kansas?__ and __Listen, Liberal__, an eye-opening account of populism, the most important—and misunderstood—movement of our time.**Rarely does a work of history contain startling implications for the present, but in __The People, No__ Thomas Frank pulls off that explosive effect by showing us that everything we think we know about populism is wrong. Today “populism” is seen as a frightening thing, a term pundits use to describe the racist philosophy of Donald Trump and European extremists. But this is a mistake. The real story of populism is an account of enlightenment and liberation; it is the story of American democracy itself, of its ever-widening promise of a decent life for all. Taking us from the tumultuous 1890s, when the radical left-wing Populist Party—the biggest mass movement in American history—fought Gilded Age plutocrats to the reformers’ great triumphs under Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman, Frank reminds us how much we owe to the populist ethos. Frank also shows that elitist groups have reliably detested populism, lashing out at working-class concerns. The anti-populist vituperations by the Washington centrists of today are only the latest expression. Frank pummels the elites, revisits the movement’s provocative politics, and declares true populism to be the language of promise and optimism. __The People, No__ is a ringing affirmation of a movement that, Frank shows us, is not the problem of our times, but the solution for what ails us. "From the prophetic author of the now-classic What's the Matter with Kansas? and Listen, Liberal, an eye-opening account of populism, the most important-and misunderstood-movement of our time. Rarely does a work of history contain startling implications for the present, but in The People, No Thomas Frank pulls off that explosive effect by showing us that everything we think we know about populism is wrong. Today "populism" is seen as a frightening thing, a term pundits use to describe the racist philosophy of Donald Trump and European extremists. But this is a mistake. The real story of populism is an account of enlightenment and liberation; it is the story of American democracy itself, of its ever-widening promise of a decent life for all. Taking us from the tumultuous 1890s, when the radical left-wing Populist Party-the biggest mass movement in American history-fought Gilded Age plutocrats to the reformers' great triumphs under Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman, Frank reminds us how much we owe to the populist ethos. Frank also shows that elitist groups have reliably detested populism, lashing out at working-class concerns. The anti-populist vituperations by the Washington centrists of today are only the latest expression. Frank pummels the elites, revisits the movement's provocative politics, and declares true populism to be the language of promise and optimism. The People, No is a ringing affirmation of a movement that, Frank shows us, is not the problem of our times, but the solution for what ails us"-- Today "populism" is seen as a frightening thing, a term pundits use to describe the racist philosophy of Donald Trump and European extremists. But the real story of populism is the story of American democracy itself, of its ever-widening promise of a decent life for all. Taking us from the tumultuous 1890s, when the radical left-wing Populist Party fought Gilded Age plutocrats to the reformers' great triumphs under Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman, Frank reminds us how much we owe to the populist ethos. The anti-populist vituperations by the Washington centrists of today are only the latest expression. -- adapted from publisher info Title Page 2 Copyright Notice 4 Epigraph 5 Introduction: The Cure for the Common Man 6 1. What Was Populism? 21 2. “Because Right Is Right and God Is God” 47 3. Peak Populism in the Proletarian Decade 70 4. “The Upheaval of the Unfit” 96 5. Consensus Redensus 120 6. Lift Every Voice 138 7. The Money Changers Burn the Temple 159 8. Let Us Now Scold Uncouth Men 181 Conclusion: The Question 199 Photographs 208 Notes 221 Notes: Introduction 221 Notes 1 223 Notes 2 227 Notes 3 231 Notes 4 234 Notes 5 237 Notes 6 239 Notes 7 242 Notes 8 245 Notes: Conclusion 248 Acknowledgments 250 Index 253 Also by Thomas Frank 269 About the Author 270 Newsletter Sign-up 272 Copyright 275 Introduction: The Cure for the Common Man What is Populism? "Because Right Is Right and God Is God" Peak Populism in the Proletarian Decade "The Upheaval of the Unfit" Consensus Redensus Lift Every Voice The Money Changers Burn the Temple Let Us Now Scold Uncouth Men Conclusion: The Question Notes Acknowledgments Index How populism changed from a late 19th century peoples' movement to late 20th century anti-people rhetoric. Just a few short years ago we Americans knew what we were doing in the world.