Anti-populism, meritocracy and (technocratic) elitism

Populism is typically accused of fuelling political polarisation. Yet, while the populist side of this polarisation has been at the centre of populism scholarship, the other side – the anti-populist camp – has been largely ignored. This chapter argues that studying anti-populism is essential for making fuller sense of populism, since the two are entangled in a type of dialectical relation. Anti-populism is understood as a distinct political discourse aimed at delegitimising challenges to the status quo, and has become a prominent feature of the rhetoric of western political and media elites, i.e., the traditional liberal centre. The chapter focuses on and critically discusses two core normative and ideological features of anti-populism, namely meritocracy and technocracy. Both principles underpin the distinction and growing disparities between elites and ‘the rest’; meritocracy by producing a hierarchy of worth, and technocracy by justifying the narrowing down of political participation by ordinary citizens.