Populist Rhetorical Analysis

Populist language has been utilized by American politicians since the nineteenth century, and that trend certainly did not end during the 2016 presidential campaign. Michael Kazin defines populism as, “a language whose speakers conceive of ordinary people as a noble assemblage not bound narrowly by class, view their elite opponents as self-serving and undemocratic, and seek to mobilize the former against the latter.” The majority of Bernie Sanders speeches included this language, and this helped him gain popularity from voters throughout the country. Sanders was an ideal candidate for the so-called common man, as he was straightforward with his disgust of billionaires and the inequality of wealth in the country. His negative claims towards
the billionaire class about not accepting their responsibilities as Americans were in agreement with millions of lower to middle class Americans who felt they were paying too much of a burden in taxes compared to the wealthy. Sanders was by no means the first politician to defend the working class, as George Wallace became popular due to the fact he was relatable to these people.
Although there are few similarities between Sanders’ and Wallace’s views, both were able to connect with this population better than their opponent, which helped them gain more success than initially expected. Sanders was also in favor of increasing workers rights, and making it easier for them to join unions. Populism has revolved around workers rights since it’s beginning, and Sanders continued this viewpoint. Bernie Sanders is a Populist in every sense of the word, and his political rhetoric imitates the rhetoric used by Populists during movements which have taken place over the last hundred
years. Many people have accurately labeled Bernie Sanders as a Populist, including former president Barack Obama. Throughout Sanders campaign, he attacked greedy billionaires, and insisted he would make decisions which were favorable to the average middle class family. Sanders claimed, “This campaign is sending a message to the billionaire class: ‘you can’t have it all.’ You can’t get huge tax breaks while children in this country go hungry … Your greed has got to end. You cannot take advantage of all the benefits of America, if you refuse to accept your responsibilities as Americans.” This quote shows Sanders did something most politicians are too afraid to do: he called on the billionaire class to contribute more than they do. More often than not, politicians are fearful of speaking negatively of the wealthy, as they often fund their campaigns and promote them. However, Sanders campaign was notably not funded by self-interested one-percenters, allowing him to truly speak his mind. Populists are not cowardly when it comes to speaking out against the undemocratic elite, which was exactly what Sanders.
Along with stating his views on the upper class, Sanders openly spoke about increasing the standard of living for members of the middle class.
Sanders believed that changes needed to be made, claiming, “Despite huge advancements in technology and productivity, millions of Americans are working longer hours for lower wages … That is unacceptable and that has got to change.” Many Americans can relate to this statement, as most people would agree that they should be paid more than they do. If he was elected, Sanders planned on enforcing the Employee Free Choice Act, which would make unions more accessible for workers. Workers rights has always been a key component of the Populists, and by making it easier for workers to unionize, Sanders is attempting to expand the rights of workers. Unionizing would likely result in an increase in wages and benefits, both of which middle class workers would happily accept. Once again representing the middle class, Sanders claimed, “We need leadership in this country which will improve the lives of working families, the children, the elderly, the sick and the poor.” Clearly, Bernie Sanders is a true Populist, as his core beliefs represent what it means to be
one.
When comparing Bernie Sanders to other Populists in history, there are many similarities. Despite the fact that Sanders’ views differed greatly from past Populists, his political rhetoric and the strategies he took to persuade voters that he was the right candidate were nearly identical. For example, well known Populist George Wallace shared multiple characteristics with Sanders. Wallace specifically appreciated, “the bus driver, the truck driver, the beautician, the fireman, the policeman, and the steelworker, the plumber, and the communications worker, and the oil worker, and the little businessman…” This is a tactic that Sanders used as well during his speech at the Democratic National Convention, in which Sanders continuously mentioned stories of minimum wage workers and the fact changes needed to be made to help these people out. By relating to specific groups of common people who did not typically receive any attention in politics, such as plumbers, or minimum wage workers, these candidates hoped they would gain their support. Both Sanders and Wallace were viewed as “just one of us” by voters, as Sanders was portrayed as an innocent, old, middle-class white man, and Wallace was depicted as an ordinary, hard working American. Voters grew a connection with these Populist candidates, as they felt these candidates were understanding of the troubles they were going through.
Although Sanders and Wallace were viewed similarly by their supporters, Wallace used other tactics which went against Sanders’ morals. Wallace used racial segregation to his benefit, and tried to divide blacks and whites, infamously stating, “And, I say, segregation now! Segregation tomorrow! Segregation together!” By placing blame on African-Americans, Wallace gained support from racist whites, which composed much of the country during the early 1960s. This was one scheme which Sanders never used, as he personified unity, and racial equality. While Wallace was seen as an evil man, Sanders represented hope and possibilities.
There are also multiple similarities with the political rhetoric used by Ronald Reagan and Bernie Sanders. Reagan was proud of the fact that he was, “transforming a hapless government that no longer served average citizens.” If he had he been elected, Sanders would have attempted to achieve this as well. Sanders and Reagan both believed the government should serve all citizens, not just the top one-percenters. With this being the case, Reagan overwhelmingly defeated his opponent when he ran for reelection, as he had gained support from people of all classes. Reagan often expressed his doubt of arrogant liberals, and his belief in the American people. Similarly to Sanders, “Reagan depicted himself not primarily as a Republican but as an insurgent outsider who fit none of the preconceived categories of American politics.” Both candidates attempted to gain support from a variety of people by not classifying themselves as members of one specific party. Instead, they attempted to gain support from voters on both sides of the spectrum by claiming to be outsiders who are simply trying to improve the nation.