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What is populism?

Social ambition is expressed mainly through participation in the game of alliances, which we callSocial ambition is expressed mainly in the form of participation in the game of alliances, which we call generalized nepotism. Generalized nepotism traps each individual within a set of social groups of increasing size, somewhat like a Russian doll: family, company, corporation, nation-state. Within each group, the individual is allied with other group members against those outside the group. These alliances become extremely powerful, instinctively, as soon as a threat emerges. This is what we call 'us against them'.

Populism consists in seeking to obtain the people's support by exacerbating the 'us against them' instinct, by embedding in the collective culture of more or less imaginary groups presented as threatened.
Us, the little people, against the elites.
us, the natives, against the immigrants,
etc.

At the level of power acquisition, such a system, which appeals not to reason but to instinct, allows for a stronger and more stable level of adherence than a political system based on a common project grounded in reason.
However, at the level of power exercise, it produces only the exacerbation of social tensions, which can lead to civil war.

To explore further

Refer to the question 'What is a human?'
then 'What are the consequences of social ambition? The notion of generalized nepotism'
and finally 'Why do humans reason so massively incorrectly?'