How functioning democracies challenge populism | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Monday
July 07, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
MONDAY, JULY 07, 2025
How functioning democracies challenge populism

Thoughts

Masum Billah
03 October, 2019, 10:55 am
Last modified: 03 October, 2019, 02:37 pm

Related News

  • Trump says Ukraine will need Patriot missiles for its defense, chides Putin
  • Trump says Iran has not agreed to inspections, give up enrichment
  • Trump says US could reach trade deal with India, casts doubt on deal with Japan
  • Trump urges Hamas to accept 'final proposal' for 60-day Gaza ceasefire
  • Trump doubts Zohran Mamdani's citizenships, threatens arrest

How functioning democracies challenge populism

Brexit in Britain revealed how populist politicians mislead the public perception for the interest of their own political career.

Masum Billah
03 October, 2019, 10:55 am
Last modified: 03 October, 2019, 02:37 pm
How functioning democracies challenge populism

The last three years have been a testing period for democracy in the United States and United Kingdom. Since the Brexit campaign in the UK and Donald Trump's emergence in US politics in 2016, populism surged in at the centre of mainstream politics. 

An embittered democracy in the UK and US, with all its institutions, however, has so far been capable of subduing the surge of populism. Instead of giving an easy pass to the populist leaders or the mandates manufactured by populist agendas, the institutions of democracy have begun to take charge of the affairs. 

With Brexit drowning in an ever escalating uncertainty in the UK, the British Parliament and the Supreme Court have emerged as shield for democratic values complicating the agenda of Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage, the poster children of Brexit and populist politics in Britain. 

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

The UK PM Boris Johnson unprecedentedly lost all six parliamentary votes in just six days before shutting down the Parliament for five weeks in a bid to escape MPs' resistance against a 'No Deal' Brexit by October 31. 

The prorogation of the Parliament emerged as a blow against the British democracy to such an extent that Johnson's partner in Leave campaign during the Brexit referendum, Nigel Farage, leader of the Brexit Party, called it the "worst political decision ever" and demanded for the resignation of Dominic Cummings, chief adviser to the Prime Minister. 

Prime Minister Johnson, however, couldn't get away with the prorogation of the Parliament as the British Supreme Court found out that "This was not a normal prorogation. It prevented parliament from carrying out its constitutional role." The British

Supreme Court announced the suspension of parliament as "unlawful, void and to no effect." 

Apparently elated at the court verdict, Nicholas Reed Langen, a British political analyst, found the British Parliament and Supreme Court as "the vanguard of resistance to populism" and showered the verdict with praises that "rather than yielding to some concocted will of the people," these institutions have emphasised that some principles are beyond majoritarian whims." 

The days of extraordinary crisis unfolded in the British Parliament gradually exposed the empty vessel of Brexit promises made by the Leave campaigners naked. This row over Brexit in Britain revealed how populist politicians mislead the public perception for the interest of their own political career. 

On this note, former British PM David Cameron alleged in his memoir published on the Sunday Times that Boris Johnson campaigned for Leave "because it would help his political career". 

The Brexit campaign and referendum in the first half of 2016 probably had a lot to do with the US presidential election in November that year. The surge of right wing populism in the United Kingdom hit the United States, and subsequently it gathered unprecedented momentum in the west. 

President Donald Trump, then Republican candidate for the presidential election in the US, welcomed the Brexit result and went ahead with further right wing populist agenda to win the election. 

Following the US and UK giving in to the populism at the similar timeframe, the west witnessed a decline of democratic values with the rise of populist leaders in the political landscape. 

But the democratic institutions of the United States, like that of United Kingdom, fought back Donald Trump and his right wing administration's populist agendas. 

There are many allegations against the western media; especially the way it manufactures world consent for the US agenda. But as far as its fights against Donald Trump is concerned, the US media has truly worked as the fourth pillar of the state with its continuous reporting and pressure mechanism all these years. 

The resistance against Trump within the democratic institutions of the US began in the US media which President Trump despises as 'fake news' and gradually encompassed the Supreme Court and finally in the US Congress after the Democrats recovered majority in the House in the last midterm election. 

Donald Trump now faces an impeachment attempt initiated by the House of Representatives. 

Populism as a political movement, however, didn't begin with the last presidential election in the United States or the Brexit campaign in the United Kingdom; and it will not end with the potential impeachment of President Donald Trump or removal of Brexit poster child Boris Johnson as UK Prime Minister.

But the way institutionalism in the democratic institutions in these countries along with the professionalism of the public officials contributed in subduing populism set an example of how functional democracies challenge populism.

In pursuit of triumphing over populism, Jody Corcoran has two suggestions as he writes in The Independent, "Capitalism must renew its purpose other than to further enrich the wealthy; and agreed regulation must be brought to bear on the internet."

Top News

democracies / populism / Brexit / Donald Trump

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • NGO leaders from different Muslim countries pose for a photo with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus at the state guest house Jamuna in Dhaka on 6 July 2025. Photo: CA Press Wing
    CA Yunus urges Islamic NGOs to take up social business to support Muslim world
  • National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam spoke at a street march as part of NCP's ongoing programme 'Desh Gorte July Padayatra' (July Walkathon for Building the Nation) at Saheb Bazar Zeo Point of Rajshahi today (6 July). Photo: TBS
    Conquered Ganobhaban, will triumph in parliament too: Nahid
  • Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher. File Photo: Collected
    No objection to February polls but oppose a hastily arranged one: Jamaat

MOST VIEWED

  • The release was jointly carried out by the Forest Department and the Chattogram Zoo authorities as part of an ongoing initiative to conserve wildlife and maintain ecological balance. Photo: Collected
    33 Python hatchlings born in Ctg zoo released into Hazarikhil sanctuary
  • A quieter scene at Dhaka University’s central library on 29 June, with seats still unfilled—unlike earlier this year, when the space was overwhelmed by crowds of job aspirants preparing for competitive exams. Photo: Tahmidul Alam Jaeef
    No more long queues at DU Central Library. What changed?
  • Ships and shipping containers are pictured at the port of Long Beach in Long Beach, California, US, 30 January 2019. Photo: REUTERS
    Bangladesh may offer zero-duty on US goods to get reciprocal tariff relief
  • File photo of a new NBR office in Agargaon, Dhaka. Photo: UNB
    NBR launches 'a-Chalan' for instant online tax payments
  • Customs bureaucracy: Luxury cars rot at Ctg port
    Customs bureaucracy: Luxury cars rot at Ctg port
  • Infograph: TBS
    How BB’s floating rate regime calms forex market

Related News

  • Trump says Ukraine will need Patriot missiles for its defense, chides Putin
  • Trump says Iran has not agreed to inspections, give up enrichment
  • Trump says US could reach trade deal with India, casts doubt on deal with Japan
  • Trump urges Hamas to accept 'final proposal' for 60-day Gaza ceasefire
  • Trump doubts Zohran Mamdani's citizenships, threatens arrest

Features

The Mitsubishi Xpander is built with families in mind, ready to handle the daily carpool, grocery runs, weekend getaways, and everything in between. PHOTO: Akif Hamid

Now made-in-Bangladesh: 2025 Mitsubishi Xpander

3h | Wheels
Students of different institutions protest demanding the reinstatement of the 2018 circular cancelling quotas in recruitment in government jobs. Photo: Mehedi Hasan

5 July 2024: Students announce class boycott amid growing protests

2d | Panorama
Contrary to long-held assumptions, Gen Z isn’t politically clueless — they understand both local and global politics well. Photo: TBS

A misreading of Gen Z’s ‘political disconnect’ set the stage for Hasina’s ouster

2d | Panorama
Graphics: TBS

How courier failures are undermining Bangladesh’s online perishables trade

2d | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Karbala; one of the saddest and most tragic events in Islamic history

Karbala; one of the saddest and most tragic events in Islamic history

6h | TBS Stories
News of The Day, 06 JULY 2025

News of The Day, 06 JULY 2025

8h | TBS News of the day
Govt Service Ordinance: Compulsory retirement to replace dismissal for misconduct in govt job

Govt Service Ordinance: Compulsory retirement to replace dismissal for misconduct in govt job

10h | TBS Insight
Iran’s Khamenei makes first public appearance since war with Israel

Iran’s Khamenei makes first public appearance since war with Israel

11h | TBS World
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net