Liberal elite, also referred to as the metropolitan elite or progressive elite, is a term used to describe politically liberal people whose education has traditionally opened the doors to affluence, wealth and power and who form a managerial elite. It is commonly invoked pejoratively, with the implication that the people who claim to support the rights of the working class are themselves members of the ruling classes and are therefore out of touch with the real needs of the people they say that they support and protect.
Usage
Canada
Canadian news outlet CBC reported on an event for supporters of Doug Ford (the premier of Ontario). A supporter described elites as "Those that think they're better than me".
Doug Ford also described elites as "people who look down on the
average, common folk, thinking they're smarter and that they know better
to tell us how to live our lives". Alex Marland of the Memorial University of Newfoundland commented on Justin Trudeau's popularity with "liberal elites in metropolitan cities" in an article published on ResearchGate entitled "The brand image of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in international context".
China
The term baizuo (Chinese: 白左) is used to refer to left-liberal ideas commonly associated with White people in the Western world. This term depicts them as unrealistic, out of touch, and loving virtue signalling.
It has also been widely used in Taiwan; this term specifically refers
to white people in the West who often have higher education levels,
liberal views, unrealistic expectations of the real world, and obsession
with standing up for minorities even though these minorities are not
offended.
The term called zo gaau [zh] (Chinese: 左膠; Jyutping: zo2 gaau1) is widely used for similar effect in Hong Kong, which literally means "left dumbass" or "leftard".
This term began appearing in Hong Kong political discourse in the
2010s, first in traditional media outlets and quickly spreading to
online communication. This term refers to those who advocate peace,
equality and non-violence in an unrealistic way only to satisfy their
moral superiority. Their ideas are too lofty and sometimes ignore the
imperfections of the real world in pursuit of their unrealistic dream.
In India, the term 'liberal elite' is used to describe the English speaking, left-leaning establishment, aligned to Nehruvian socialism and Marxism,
who have formed much of the mainstream intelligentsia and the ruling
political class of India since its independence in 1947. The Indian National Congress,
often referred to as the 'Grand Old Party' of India, is a left-liberal
party, which has dominated Indian politics for much of the country's
independent history.
Malaysia
In Malaysia, the term Bangsar Bubble is used to describe affluent Malay youth, usually highly educated and high-income groups (mostly T20 with M40 factions), notably in the Bangsar area of the Klang Valley.
The term was initially used by leftists to criticize liberals who lack
class analysis, but soon that term was appropriated to also refer to
Malays who have embraced the Western left's progressive thinking. The
group is usually associated with advocating some Western progressive
issues such as LGBT rights (a taboo topic in the country),
human rights, secularism, and racial issues. In terms of social media,
they often use Twitter instead of Facebook, the latter of which is
dominated by conservatives. The group usually endorses the Pakatan Harapan coalition or the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance.
"Gangnam Leftist" (Korean: 강남 좌파; Hanja: 江南左派) refers to the highly educated and high-income class with left-liberal tendencies in South Korean politics and society. They are mainly composed of upper-class members of the 386 Generation. In South Korea, the term is used with the same meaning as "limousine liberal" (Korean: 리무진 리버럴). They are sometimes referred to as "Gangnam liberals", after the wealthy Gangnam region of Seoul, and are differentiated from South Korea's traditional socialist and social democratic factions centered on the labor movement.
Gangnam leftist is a political term in South Korea, but it
is also often used to refer to liberal politicians in countries other
than South Korea. For example, Emmanuel Macron and Joe Biden have been referred to as Gangnam leftists in South Korean media.
More than a decade prior to Duterte's election, in January 2001, the EDSA II protests, which have been denounced by critics as unrepresentative and elitist, culminated in the resignation under pressure of then-presidentJoseph Estrada and the installation of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as his successor. Arroyo, educated abroad and fluent in multiple colonial languages, was highly regarded in liberal elite circles in contrast to Estrada, a university dropout whose proficiency in English was wanting. Populist protests against Arroyo would erupt three months later in what came to be known as EDSA III.
Duterte, while fluent in English, has similarly run afoul of the liberal elite, which repeatedly draws attention not only to his questionable antics—deplored by no less than his daughter Sara—but also to his frequent use of gutter language.
This aversion, in turn, to gutter language has been criticized as
indicative of a socioeconomically privileged upbringing that renders one
out of touch with general society.
Such attitudes have been described as a desire on the part of the
liberal elite to "demonize" detractors by portraying them as somehow
morally or intellectually deficient, as well as incapable of critical thought.
Estrada has since come out as a supporter of Duterte, expressing concern that the latter, like himself,might be driven out of office by whom he had referred to years earlier as the "rich and perfumed". Others have echoed Estrada's depiction of those who had deposed him, notwithstanding Estrada's own membership in albeit another section of the broader Philippine elite, or have similarly denounced what has been described as the moralism and sham decency of the liberal elite. Ultimately, Duterte's rise to power has come to be seen as the "people's verdict" on both the failures of the liberal order and what has been felt as the glibness of its domestic champions.
United Kingdom
The Liberal elite is referred to by various terms in British political discourse. Hampstead Socialist and Hampstead liberal have been used, referring to the North London area of Hampstead.
The term Hampstead Socialist was regularly used by Nick Griffin, the former leader of the British National Party and the phrase "North London metropolitan liberal elite" has been used by Home Secretary Priti Patel. Due to the high Jewish population of this area, references to "North London" elites have been accused by some, such as the Jewish Labour Movement, as a form of coded antisemitism.
Another term that has gained currency is Islington set. Emily Thornberry, Labour Party MP for Islington South and Finsbury, resigned as a member of the Shadow Cabinet on 20 November 2014 during the Rochester and Strood by-election, in which she tweeted a picture of a house draped with England flags and a white van parked outside with the caption 'Image from Rochester', thought by many to be a snobby jibe. Simon Danczuk, the Labour MP for Rochdale,
commented that Thornberry's tweet furthers the perception that the
Labour Party "has been hijacked by the north London liberal elite".
In the United States, the sterotypical lifestyle of the liberal elite is often referenced in popular culture. Columnist Dave Barry drew attention to these stereotypes when he commented, "Do we truly believe that ALL red-state residents are ignorant racist fascist knuckle-dragging NASCAR-obsessed cousin-marrying roadkill-eating tobacco-juice-dribbling gun-fondling religious fanatic rednecks; or that ALL blue-state residents are godless unpatriotic pierced-nose Volvo-driving France-loving left-wing communist latte-sucking tofu-chomping holistic-wacko neurotic vegan weenie perverts?"
A 2004 political advertisement from the right-wing organization Club for Growth attacked the Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean
by portraying him as part of the liberal elite: "Howard Dean should
take his tax-hiking, government-expanding, latte-drinking, sushi-eating,
Volvo-driving, New York Times–reading, body-piercing, Hollywood-loving, left-wing freak show back to Vermont, where it belongs."
Those Americans who equate intellectual pursuits and careers with
elitism often point out American intellectuals, most of whom are upper-middle-class not upper-class, are primarily liberal. As of 2005, approximately 72% of professors identify themselves as liberals. At Ivy League universities, an even larger majority, 87% of professors identified themselves as liberals. People with postgraduate degrees are increasingly Democratic.
Traditionally, left-wing populism has been associated with the socialist movement; since the 2010s, there has been a movement close to left-wing populism in the left-liberal camp, some of which are considered social democratic positions. Left-liberal economic populism appealing to the working class has been prominent in some countries, such as with Joe Biden of United States and Lee Jae-myung of South Korea, in the 2020s, where liberal and conservative parties are the main two parties.
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (the President of Argentina from 2007 to 2015) and her husband Néstor Kirchner were said to practice Kirchnerism, a variant of Peronism that was often mentioned alongside other Pink tide
governments in Latin America. During Cristina Fernández de Kirchner's
time in office, she spoke against certain free trade agreements, such as
the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas.
Her administration was characterized by tax increases, especially on
agricultural exports during the late 2000s commodities boom, Argentina's main export, in order to fund social programs such as the PROGRESAR university scholarships, the universal allocation per child subsidy (commonly referred to as AUH in Argentina, Asignación Universal por Hijo), a means-tested benefit to families with children who qualified for the subsidy, and progressive social reforms such as the recognition of same-sex marriage.
Lulism is a pragmatic centre-left ideology to the extent that it is called "socialist neoliberalism", but it appeals to a progressive, common-class image and also has populist elements in terms of popular mobilization.
Ecuador
Rafael Correa, the former President of Ecuador,
has stressed the importance of a "populist discourse" and has
integrated technocrats to work within this context for the common
Ecuadorians. Correa has blamed foreign non-governmental organizations for exploiting the indigenous people in the conflict between the indigenous peoples and the government.
The People's Party (United States),
commonly known as the Populists, was a economically liberal movement,
primarily agrarian in nature. They cast themselves in opposition to big
business, particularly the railroads, and the political establishment
controlled by them. It advocated for government intervention in the
economy, such as the government ownership of railroads.
Huey Long,
the Great Depression-era Governor-turned-Senator of Louisiana, was one
of the first modern American left-wing populists in the United States.
He advocated for wealth redistribution under his Share Our Wealth plan,
which had its roots in the classical left-wing populist movement of Jacksonian democracy, which is related to the radical movement.
Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, self-described democratic socialists, are examples of modern left-wing populist politicians.
Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez's populist message tend to place the people
in opposition to big business and the very wealthy. Ocasio-Cortez's
Democratic primary victory over the establishment Democratic Caucus
Chair Joe Crowley,
a 10-term incumbent, was widely seen as the biggest upset victory in
the 2018 midterm election primaries. The Nation magazine described
Ocasio-Cortez as a "new rock star" who was "storming the country on
behalf of insurgent populists." Elizabeth Warren are also mentioned as a representative left-wing or liberal populist, and Warren is sometimes evaluated as a social democrat. Joe Biden is usually classified as a political moderate, but his economic policies occasionally have attracted the populist moniker.
The presidency of Hugo Chávez resembled a combination of folk wisdom and charismatic leadership with doctrinaire socialism. Chávez was often rather fond of conspiracy theories, especially those which portrayed America as an evil actor in the world out to get Venezuela and the developing world.
Anti-Americanism was crucial to Chávez's populism, even though
Venezuela's history is somewhat unique compared to the rest of Latin
America. During the Cold War, Venezuela both had a
democratically-elected socialist president and good relations with the
United States. Nonetheless, this did not deter Chávez from using
anti-Americanism to distract from his regime's economic incompetence,
especially when it came to managing inflation.
Yesh Atid is a radical centrist or liberal party. In Israeli politics, "liberal" is not particularly a concept that is distinguished by left or right,
but Yesh Atid is evaluated that it has a left-wing populist element in
part. They criticize elitism that causes political corruption and demand
a position on material redistribution. However, Yesh Atid has an element of economic liberalism simultaneously.
Tarō Yamamoto in 2020. He is mentioned as a (left-wing) liberal-populist.
Japan
Reiwa Shinsengumi, led by Tarō Yamamoto, is a representative Japanese left-wing populist movement. While he and his party use anti-established rhetoric, they are sometimes called "liberal
populist". According to experts, Yamamoto uses a simple message to
spotlight single individuals left behind, including people struggling
with poverty or non-permanent employment, who used to devote themselves
to radical conservatism.
Reiwa Shinsengumi is also called a "progressive populist",
because they are not rooted in the traditional Japanese socialist or
Labor movement, but are culturally and economically progressive, representing marginalized young people and minorities.
Lee Jae-myung, one of DPK's major politicians, has been mentioned as a "populist" in some media outlets.Lee Jae-myung pledged to implement the world's first universal basic income system if elected in the 2022 South Korean presidential election but said he would not pay for it if the people opposed it. South Korea's right-wing politician Hong Joon-pyo saw Lee Jae-myung in September 2021 and accused him of being "Chávez of Gyeonggi Province".
However, there is controversy in South Korea as to whether Lee
Jae-myung can be viewed as a "left-wing populist" in the context of the
United States or Europe. He once said he was "conservative" and
suggested policies far from general left-wing populism in the United
States and Europe, partially insisting on economic liberal policies such as deregulating companies on some issues. In addition, he showed a somewhat conservative tendency on some social agendas. In addition, Kim Hyun-jong, the head of the International Trade Special Division at the Lee Jae-myung Camp, met with Henry Kissinger, and Henry Kissinger gave Lee Jae-myung a handwritten autograph called "Good wishes". In addition, Lee Jae-myung's political orientation was somewhat ambiguous, so conservative journalist Dong-A Ilbo denied that he was a left-wing politician, while South Korea's far-left organization Workers' Solidarity evaluated him as a social democratic. (However, another South Korean left-wing undongkwon group denied that Lee Jae-myung is not a social democratic.) Lee is also a staunch supporter of free trade, unlike ordinary economic populists.
The Party of Democratic Socialism was explicitly studied under left-wing populism, especially by German academics. The party was formed after the reunification of Germany, and it was similar to right-wing populists in that it relied on anti-elitism and media attention provided by charismatic leadership.
The party competed for the same voter base with the right-wing
populists to some extent, although it relied on a more serious platform
in Eastern Germany. This was limited by anti-immigration sentiments
preferred by some voters, although the lines were, for example, crossed
by Oskar Lafontaine, who used a term previously associated with the Nazi Party, Fremdarbeiter ("foreign workers"), in his election campaign in 2005. The PDS merged into the Left Party in 2007. The Left Party is also viewed as a left-wing populist party, but it is not the basis of the party as a whole.
Syriza, which became the largest party since January 2015 elections,
has been described as a left-wing populist party after its platform
incorporated most demands of the popular movements in Greece during the government-debt crisis.
Populist traits in Syriza's platform include the growing importance of
"the People" in their rhetoric and "us/the people against them/the
establishment" antagonism in campaigning. On immigration and LGBT rights, Syriza is inclusionary. Syriza itself does not accept the label "populist".
In September 2019, the M5S formed a government with the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) and the left-wing Free and Equal (LeU), with Giuseppe Conte at its head. The government has been sometimes referred to as a left-wing populist cabinet.
Netherlands
The Socialist Party has run a left-wing populist platform after dropping its communist course in 1991.
Although some have pointed out that the party has become less populist
over the years, it still includes anti-elitism in its recent election
manifestos. It opposes what it sees as the European superstate.
The left-wing populist party Podemos achieved 8% of the national vote in the 2014 European Parliament election. Due to avoiding nativist language typical of right-wing populists, Podemos can attract left-wing voters disappointed with the political establishment without taking sides in the regional political struggle. In the 2015 election for the national parliament, Podemos reached 20.65% of the vote and became the third largest party in the parliament after the conservative People's Party with 28.71% and the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party with 22.02%. In the new parliament, Podemos holds 69 out of 350 seats, which has resulted in the end of the traditional two-party system in Spain. In a November 2018 interview with Jacobin, Íñigo Errejón argues that Podemos requires a new "national-popular" strategy to win more elections.
Left-wing populist political parties
Active left-wing populist parties or parties with left-wing populist factions
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