Populisme mot elitisme: teoretiske utfordringer og et måleproblem

Abstract

This article contributes to the literature by focusing on the conflict between elitism and populism, the measurement of the conflict and the role the conflict plays in public opinion. Surprisingly little attention has been paid to elitism. By limiting the perspective by focusing on a conflict between populism and non-populism, we tend to overlook that many non-populists are elitists. Cas Mudde's definitions of populism and elitism serve as starting point. Based on data from the European Values Survey collected in Norway in the fall of 2018, we try to respond to these questions. The conflict between populism and elitism seems to be of secondary importance to most Norwegians. The average Norwegian can neither be described as a populist nor an elitist. Thin populism and elitism work as attitude-enhancers in relation to some but not all political issues.