Markus Linden on how populism promotes democracy

The new book by German Federal bank board member Thilo Sarrazin is being rejected by the established media, which describe it as Islamophobic and populist. Markus Linden sees the perception of populism as an exclusively negative phenomenon as mistaken and writes the following in the left-wing daily die tageszeitung: "Public discussion on politically contentious issues - be it the building of mosques, integration policy or education vouchers for social benefits claimants - is often a precondition for raising public awareness of these issues. In such cases the populist often does himself a disservice which, however, ultimately promotes democracy. ... Populism stands out and politicises society. But if it is reacted to appropriately, support for it among the population evaporates. The populist destroys his own foundations, as it were. This process is naturally not automatic, as the numerous examples of successful right-wing populist parties in Austria and the Netherlands show. The alternative - a de-politicisation that leaves the economical factors as the decisive excluding criterion and allows intolerance to smoulder in silence - is hardly desirable. ... At any rate at least Sarrazin's racially-motivated tirade has promoted politicised discussion. And that's a good thing."  

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