The two sides of politics: Populism and democracy dichotomy

Populist political elements that began in Europe in the 1980s and intensely felt in the 2000s lead to the loss of the importance of the concept and principles of democracy. Populist policies implemented by governments can be perceived as democracies and democracy can become flawed. Populist politics undermines the requirements of democracy in countries where democracy is constantly interrupted and where there is no civil society. Democracy from Antiquity to Modern Period has been constantly discussed and the answer to the question of how can it be better as a form of government was sought. Especially in the 20th century, the discussion of many different theories of democracy has made democracy more controversial. This diversity of democracy paved the way for positive as well as negative consequences. So much so that the emergence of populism, which looked just like it, by exploiting the emptiness and conflicts of democracy, was an inevitable consequence of the modern era. In this study, it has been tried to put forward that the practices or discourses put forward as a necessity of democracy actually dominate the logic of populist politics and make the establishment of democracy difficult and imperfect. Key Words: Populism, Democracy, Discourse, Populist Strategy