Rhetoric Society Quarterly May 2019

Using Democracy Against Itself: Demagogic Rhetoric as an Attack on Democratic Institutions

Ryan Skinnell Griffith College Cork

Abstract

Demagoguery is a subject of much discussion around the world in light of recent international political affairs. But since demagoguery remains a contested term, the definition invites continued deliberation as rhetoricians grapple with its usefulness, persistence, and presence in world affairs, and as they consider what, if anything, to do about it. Building from Aristotle’s famously imprecise definition of demagoguery and from contemporary definitions that locate demagoguery in culture not in a specific speaker, this essay argues that demagogic rhetoric necessarily incorporates arguments, topoi, and evidence that attack and attempt to undermine the legitimacy of democratic institutions. Specifically, demagogic rhetoric hyperextends or supercharges direct democracy by amplifying “the will of the people” to undermine the constraining functions of democratic institutions.

Journal
Rhetoric Society Quarterly
Published
2019-05-27
DOI
10.1080/02773945.2019.1610639
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Topics
classical rhetoric rhetorical criticism
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Citation Context

Cited by in this index (2)

  1. Izaguirre (2024)
    Wrenching Democracy from Rhetoric: Rancière, Ancient Rhetoric, and Demagoguery
    Philosophy & Rhetoric
  2. Duffy (2023)
    Trump’s Thumbs: Pollice Verso and the Spectacle of Ambiguity
    Rhetoric Society Quarterly

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