Full Episode link: https://youtu.be/BlxR5dqm3O4

In this episode, host Anirudh Suri speaks with guest Helen about the underlying factors behind Donald Trump's rise in politics. They explore the notion that Trump's ascendancy is not solely due to populism and delve into the historical fusion of nationalism with representative democracy. The discussion highlights parallels between Trump's strategy and the American Populist Party, comparing Trump's nativism-plus-class approach with Bernie Sanders' class-focused rhetoric. Helen argues that nationhood has always been intertwined with democracy, challenging the simplistic label of populism often attributed to Trump's political narrative.

**Helen Thompson** is an English academic who teaches politics at Cambridge University, where she is a professor of political economy and a fellow of Clare College, Cambridge, where she is also Director of Studies.

She has been working in Cambridge since 1994 and is currently a member of the Department of Politics and International Studies. One of her recent research interests is the aftermath of the 2008 Financial crisis.

00:00 Introduction: Trump's Rise and Populism

00:25 The Conceptual Problem with Populism

00:58 Nationalism and Democracy

01:19 Historical Context of Populism

02:06 Populism in American History

02:30 Trump and the American Populist Party

02:58 Class and Nativism in Trump's Rhetoric

03:44 Comparing Trump and Sanders

04:28 Conclusion: Nationhood in Representative Democracy

Book Links:

#AnirudhSuri:

**The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri:** [amzn.eu/d/1Su38My](http://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My)

#HelenThompson

**Disorder: Hard Times in the 21st Century**: https://amzn.eu/d/72bIz8J

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