The Narodniki: Reassessing a foundational case of populism

Abstract

Populism has become embedded within the contemporary political lexicon. However, this research returns to populism’s roots, re-assessing the extent to which the Narodniki’s practices conform to three key populism conceptualisations, as an ideology, discourse and style. Using a deductive qualitative analysis methodology, we critically analyse the relationship between populism theory and the actions of the Narodniki. Despite anticipating that the Russian people-powered movement adheres to contemporary understandings of populism, the findings of this study indicate a lack of some core populism features. Firstly, for the ideology approach, whilst elite antagonism is commonplace, the movement struggled to connect broadly to the people, by excluding the worker in their focus on the pure peasant. Furthermore, distrust of democracy challenges the relationship with the common will. Variation from populist discourse is also found, with the movement failing to unite the people through populist empty signifiers or unite social classes to form a common people. Finally, considering the style approach, the Narodnichestvo leadership is neither charismatically connected to the peasants nor the low culture of the common folk. Consequently, the study reveals a hazy connection, at best, between the Narodniki and populism’s conceptual features. Highlighting, the need to re-assess historically embedded cases of populism.