[pop-yuh-liz-uh
m] 
| 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. |
| pop·u·lism (pŏp'yə-lĭz'əm) n.
|
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.