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Definition of Populism - 4 dictionary results

Pop⋅u⋅lism

  [pop-yuh-liz-uhm]
Use Populism in a Sentence
–noun
1. the political philosophy of the People's party.
2. (lowercase) any of various, often antiestablishment or anti-intellectual political movements or philosophies that offer unorthodox solutions or policies and appeal to the common person rather than according with traditional party or partisan ideologies.
3. (lowercase) grass-roots democracy; working-class activism; egalitarianism.
4. (lowercase) representation or extolling of the common person, the working class, the underdog, etc.: populism in the arts.
Origin:
1890–95, Americanism; < L popul(us) people + -ism
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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pop·u·lism   (pŏp'yə-lĭz'əm)   
n.  
    1. A political philosophy supporting the rights and power of the people in their struggle against the privileged elite.
    2. The movement organized around this philosophy.
  2. Populism The philosophy of the Populist Party.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Populism

Pop"u*lism\, n. (U. S. Politics) The political doctrines advocated by the People's party.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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populism

The belief that greater popular participation in government and business is necessary to protect individuals from exploitation by inflexible bureaucracy and financial conglomerates. “Power to the people” is a famous populist slogan.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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