Populism And Democratic Decay: A Dialectic Analysis Of Trump’s Populism

Abstract

This study aims to examine the brand of populism associated with Trump and its impact on the functioning of American democracy. Addressing the knowledge gap between right-wing populist appeal and its consequences on democratic institutional, the paper draws on Hegel’s dialectical method to examine whether or not Trump’s populism constitutes a genuine threat to American democracy. The central argument posits that while U.S. democratic institutions have shown resilience, Trump’s exclusionary and emotional populist discourse has eroded democratic culture and deepened social polarization. The study analyzes Trump’s political persona through a qualitative lens, relying on secondary sources such as reports, speeches, and public opinion data. The findings reveal that although Trump has not structurally dismantled U.S. democratic institutions, his populist narrative has contributed to democratic backsliding by undermining civil liberties, promoting intolerance, and weakening public trust in institutional legitimacy. The conclusion synthesizes both perspectives—those that emphasize institutional strength and those that highlight democratic cultural degradation—to argue that Trump's populism represents a degenerative force in American democracy. With Trump’s return to the White House following the 2024 reelection, the urgency of understanding his exclusionary populism has intensified.