Left and right populism

Populism becomes more effective in Turkey and the world like "bad money firing good money." 

What I mean by "bad money" is the exaggerated demagogy, polarization, the passion for power, anger and partisanship, which we see in all populist currents. 

The fired "good money" is legal, political and economic rationality, moderation, a culture of reconciliation and the principle of merit. 

Well-respected conservative writers like Mustafa Karaalioğlu, Kemal Öztürk, Mehmet Ocaktan as well as Prof. Ömer Dinçer, who is a former education minister, have also been talking about it.

Populist polarization

Far-right populist currents on the rise in the West continuously serve the nationalist feelings and the economic concerns of the public. They fuel Islamophobia.

The fact that cities are becoming more cosmopolite with migration, the threat of terror and the discrepancy on income distributions support these currents.

Is the problem limited to the far right?

An important book by Jan-Werner Müller called "What is populism?" names the characteristics of populist currents, while mentioning the words of Hugo Chavez, the deceased communist leader of Venezuela, in his power struggle: "This is not a struggle between opponents and supporters of Chavez. This is the struggle between patriots and the enemies of the nation."

Venezuela and Tunisia

Chavez created a terrible polarization with his populist discourse in Venezuela where democratic institutions were not strong enough for arbitration.

He spent oil incomes on "social aid" populism and not for investments. Some 20 million citizens were receiving social aid from the Chavez government in Venezuela, which has...