Public trust and the populist leader: A theoretical argument

Abstract This article adds nuance to current understandings of the relationship between populist leader and public by using concept trust. Merging literature on populism with growing scholarship trust from philosophy, psychology other social sciences, it argues that following leader’s appeals similarity, populist–public involves an intertwining two forms trust: public’s in itself (what we term ‘public self-trust’). Contrary what political constitutional theorists have recognized as a tension self-trust its representatives, contend based these can be mutually reinforcing. mutual reinforcement, suggest, has potential create positive feedback loop that, given value leaders, empowers populist.