Populism: Before and After the Pandemic

The second chapter compares the difficult aftermaths of empire in Britain and Russia. Has that experience fostered these countries’ sense of exceptionality and inability to evolve into normal societies? Many national populist movements exploit History, as we saw with the so-called ‘statue wars’ reignited in 2020. The third chapter ranges across Europe, but also China, where a nationalised version of History has become intrinsic to social support for the ruling Communist Party. In the short term, COVID-19 has created problems for several populist leaders, whose image has suffered amidst the public’s new-found respect for expertise and unfavourable comparisons with less shouty politicians who have handled the pandemic differently. Yet, with the looming risk of an extended economic depression, Burleigh fears that new post-populists may arise in the long run.