(eds.) Left Radicalism and Populism in Europe

‘Populism is the latest political buzzword but is desperately in need of systematic evidence-based analysis and conceptual clarification. This book combines theoretical expertise with empirical case studies on European left radicalism and populism to provide a valuable resource for all those who want to join in “the great populist debate’”. – Cristina Flesher Fominaya, Excellence 100 Reader in Social Politics and Media, Loughborough University, UK. ‘Moving beyond obsolete euro-centric stereotypes, political science is gradually acknowledging the existence of left-wing populist movements and parties. The rigorous research of the complex relationship between left radicalism and populism will be greatly boosted by this volume. Charalambous and Ioannou have added an important milestone in both the synchronic and the diachronic study of this challenging topic’. – Professor Yannis Stavrakakis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. ‘This is a really important collection of essays on one of the most pressing issues that confronts students of politics today: what is populism, and should we see it as a threat to democracy, or perhaps an aid to its renewal? Its importance lies in shining a light on what can otherwise be obscured or passed over in more mainstream accounts: the rise of left-wing populisms, alongside the more familiar right wing and nativist variants which tend to attract most of the scholarly and media attention. The authors provide an important corrective to mainstream accounts whilst at the same time providing an interesting and nuanced defence of populism as a potential political strategy. This is a timely intervention in debates on how we should think about and engage with populism, and essential reading for all of those interested in contemporary politics’. – Simon Tormey, Professor of Government and IR, University of Sydney, Australia. LEFT RADICALISM AND POPULISM IN EUROPE While there has been much focus in recent times on the rise of right-wing populism in Europe, there has been surprisingly little material on the phenomenon of left-wing populism. This edited collection seeks to fill that gap with an investigation of the relationship between the radical left and populism. Featuring a broad range of historical and contemporary case studies from across Europe, this is a much-needed empirical account of this phenomenon. This book will be of considerable interest to researchers, scholars and students of left radicalism, European politics and the politics of social movements. It will also appeal to non-academic audiences, especially party and social movement activists, because of its politically salient topic and its historical and comparative focus. Giorgos Charalambous is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the Department of Politics and Governance, University of Nicosia, Cyprus. Gregoris Ioannou is a Sociologist and a Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow, UK. ROUTLEDGE STUDIES IN RADICAL HISTORY AND POLITICS Series editors: Thomas Linehan, Brunel University, and John Roberts, Brunel University The series Routledge Studies in Radical History and Politics has two areas of interest. Firstly, this series aims to publish books which focus on the history of movements of the radical left. ‘Movement of the radical left’ is here interpreted in its broadest sense as encompassing those past movements for radical change which operated in the mainstream political arena as with political parties, and past movements for change which operated more outside the mainstream as with millenarian movements, anarchist groups, utopian socialist communities, and trade unions. Secondly, this series aims to publish books which focus on more contemporary expressions of radical left-wing politics. Recent years have been witness to the emergence of a multitude of new radical movements adept at getting their voices in the public sphere. From those participating in the Arab Spring, the Occupy movement, community unionism, social media forums, independent media outlets, local voluntary organisations campaigning for progressive change, and so on, it seems to be the case that innovative networks of radicalism are being constructed in civil society that operate in different public forms. The series very much welcomes titles with a British focus, but is not limited to any particular national context or region. The series will encourage scholars who contribute to this series to draw on perspectives and insights from other disciplines. Contemporary Left Wing Activism Vol 1 Democracy, Participation and Dissent in a Global Context Edited John Michael Roberts and Joseph Ibrahim Contemporary Left Wing Activism Vol 2 Democracy, Participation and Dissent in a Global Context Edited Joseph Ibrahim and John Michael Roberts Cultural Protest in Journalism, Documentary Films and the Arts Between Protest and Professionalization Daniel H. Mutibwa Left Radicalism and Populism in Europe Edited by Giorgos Charalambous and Gregoris Ioannou For more information about this series, please visit: www.routledge.com/Routledge-Studies-in-Radical-History-and-Politics/book-series/RSRHP LEFT RADICALISM AND POPULISM IN EUROPE Edited by Giorgos Charalambous and Gregoris Ioannou First published 2020 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2020 selection and editorial matter, Giorgos Charalambous and Gregoris Ioannou; individual chapters, the contributors The right of Giorgos Charalambous and Gregoris Ioannou to be identified as the authors of the editorial material, and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. Book illustration: ‘Lenin Debating with the Narodnik Vorontsov (1894)’, (1939). Russian communist revolutionary Vladimir Ilich Lenin (1870–1924) in debate with narodnik economist Vasily Vorontsov (1847–1918). From Stalin on Lenin. [Foreign Languages Publishing House, Moscow, 1939]. Artist: Aleksandr Viktorovic Moravov. (Photo by The Print Collector/Getty Images). British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data A catalog record has been requested for this book ISBN: 978-0-8153-5417-8 (hbk) ISBN: 978-0-8153-5420-8 (pbk) ISBN: 978-1-351-13363-0 (ebk) Typeset in Bembo by Taylor & Francis Books To all those who ask difficult political questions and to whom easy answers do not suffice CONTENTS List of illustrations Abbreviations List of contributors 1 Introducing the topic and the concepts Giorgos Charalambous and Gregoris Ioannou xi xii xv 1 PART I Left radicalism and populism across history 31 2 The Russian Narodniks and their relationship to Russian Marxism Richard Mullin 33 3 Social democracy and the temptation of populism between the world wars: France in a comparative perspective Fabien Escalona 51 4 Historicising the populist temptation: the case of Eurocommunism Ioannis Balampanidis 67 x Contents PART II Contemporary radical left parties and populism 5 Corbyn, Sanders and the contestation of neoliberal hegemony Owen Worth 87 89 6 ‘Make way for the people!’ Left-wing populism in the rhetoric of Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s 2012 and 2017 presidential campaigns Paolo Chiocchetti 106 7 New left populism contesting and taking power: the cases of SYRIZA and Podemos Alexandros Kioupkiolis and Giorgos Katsambekis 129 8 Hijacking the left? The populist and radical right in two post-Communist polities Vassilis Petsinis 156 PART III Social movements, populism and socialist strategy 181 9 Mapping anti-austerity discourse: populism, sloganeering and/or realism? David J. Bailey 183 10 West European trade unions, labour and ‘the people’: from the golden era to the times of austerity Gregoris Ioannou and Giorgos Charalambous 204 11 Populism as ‘deceptive invocations of the popular’: a political approach Seraphim Seferiades 223 12 Conclusions: populism and left radicalism in Europe across time and space Giorgos Charalambous and Gregoris Ioannou 257 Index 266 ILLUSTRATIONS Figures 3.1 9.1 10.1 10.2 11.1 Front of the PCF headquarters, with inscription Number of anti-austerity protests per year in Britain, 2005–2016 TUC poster in the UK, May 2018 PAME banner in Greece Values, concepts, research (and phronetic social science) 59 186 215 216 225 Tables 6.1 6.2 6.3 8.1 8.2A Quantitative analysis of key concepts Key data on the two campaigns Electoral results of the French radical left (% of valid votes) Estonian parliamentary elections (March 2015) Popularity ratings of political parties in Estonia (January 2018) 8.2B Popularity ratings of political parties in Estonia (June 2018) 8.3A Hungarian parliamentary elections (April 2014) 8.3B Hungarian parliamentary elections (April 2018) 9.1 Key slogans of the UK anti-austerity movement, 2010–2016 113 115 122 157 157 157 163 163 191 ABBREVIATIONS ADGB AfD AFL ANEL CISL CGT CGTP CPSU DIMAR ECB EKRE ETUC EU FdG FI FIDESZ GJM Allgemeiner Deutsche Gewerkschaftsbund Alternative für Deutschland Ανεξάρτητοι Έλληνες Confederazione Italiana Sindacati Lavoratori Confédération générale du travail Confederação Geral dos Trabalhadores Portugueses Кëммунистическая партия Сëветскëгë Сëюза Δημοκρατική Αριστερά Eesti Konservatiivne Rahvaerakond Front de Gauche La France Insoumise Fidesz – Magyar Polgári Szövetség - German Confederation of Trade Unions Alternative for Germany American Federation of Labor Independent Greeks Italian Confederation of Trade Unions General Confederation of Labour (France) General Confederation of Portuguese Workers Communist Party of Soviet Union Democratic Left (Greece) European Central Bank Estonian Conservative People’s Party European Trade Union Confederation European Union Left Front Untamed France Hungarian Civic Alliance Global Justice Movement Abbreviations xiii HM IAC - ICFTU - IMF ISI - JOBBIK Jobbik Magyarországért Mozgalom Jugoslovenska Levica Λαϊκή Ενότητα Ligue communiste révolutionnaire - JUL LAE LCR LGBT LGBTQ LMP LO MP MSZP NATO NCAFC ND NEC NGO NPA NUS PASOK PCF PC-SFIC PCI PG PLP PM PP Her Majesty Movement Against Corruption in India International Confederation of Free Trade Unions International Monetary Fund Import Substituting Industrialization Movement for a Better Hungary Yugoslav United Left Popular Unity Communist Revolutionary League Lesbians, Gays, Bisexual, Transexual Lesbians, Gays, Bisexual, Transexual, Queer Lehet Más a Politika Politics Can Be Different (Hungary) Lands Organisationen Swedish Trade Union Confederation Member of Parliament Magyar Szocialista Párt Hungarian Socialist Party North Atlantic Treaty Organisation National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (UK) Νέα Δημοκρατία New Democracy (Greece) National Executive Committee Non-Governmental Organisation Nouveau Parti Anticapitaliste New Anti-capitalist Party (France) National Union of Students Πανελλήνιο Σοσιαλιστικό Panhellenic Socialist Party Κόμμα Parti Communiste Françaism Communist Party of France Parti communiste (Section française de l’Internationale communiste) Communist Party (French Section of Communist International) Partito Comunista Italiano Communist Party of Italy Parti de Gauche Left Party Parliamentary Labour Party Prime Minister Partido Popular People’s Party (Spain) xiv Abbreviations POI Parti Ouvrier Indépendant PRC Partito della Rifondazione Comunista Parti Socialiste Socialistische Partij Parti Socialiste de FranceUnion Jean-Jaurès Partido Socialista Obrero Español Partido dos Trabalhadores Рëссийская сëциал-демëкратическая рабëчая партия PS PS PSdF PSOE PT RSDLP SAP UK UKIP Sveriges socialdemokratiskaarbetare parti Sotsiaaldemokraatlik Erakond Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands Section Française de l’Internationale Ouvrière Συνασπισμός Ριζοσπαστικής Αριστεράς Unión General de Trabajadores - UMP/LR UN US(A) USSR WFTU WSF WWII Les Républicains - SDE SPD SFIO SYRIZA TUC UCU UGT Independent Workers’ Party (France) Party of Communist Refoundation (Italy) Socialist Party (France) Socialist Party (Netherlands) French Socialist Party-JeanJaurès Union Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party Workers Party (Brazil) Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party Social Democratic Party of Sweden Social Democrats (Estonia) Social Democratic Party of Germany French Section of the Workers’ International Coalition of the Radical Left Trade Union Congress University and College Union General Union of Workers United Kingdom United Kingdom Independence Party Republicans (France) United Nations United States (of America) Union of Soviet Socialist Republics World Federation of Trade Unions World Social Forum World War II CONTRIBUTORS David J. Bailey is a senior lecturer in politics at the University of Birmingham. His teaching and research focus on political economy, left parties, protest movements and the relationship between each of these, mainly within the European context. He recently co-authored a book focusing on anti-austerity movements during the European crisis, Beyond Defeat and Austerity: Disrupting the (Critical Political Economy of) Neoliberal Europe (Routledge). He has also recently published articles in New Political Economy, British Journal of Political Science and Comparative European Politics. Ioannis Balampanidis holds a PhD in Political Science and is researcher at the Centre for Political Research (Department of Political Science & History, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences). He is author of Eurocommunism. From the Communist to the Radical Left in Europe, Polis, Athens 2015 (Routledge, 2018). Giorgos Charalambous holds an Msc in European Public Policy from UCL and a BA (Hons) in Economic Studies and Government and PhD in Politics from the University of Manchester. He is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the Department of Politics and Governance, University of Nicosia. His publications have appeared in such journals as European Political Science Review, Party Politics, Government and Opposition, International Studies Review and Mobilization. He is author of European Integration and the Communist Dilemma (Ashgate, 2013) and coeditor of Party-Society Relations in the Republic of Cyprus (Routledge, 2015). Paolo Chiocchetti holds a PhD in European Studies from King’s College London. His research focuses on radical left parties, Western European politics, European governance and economic policy. He is the author of The Radical Left Party Family in Western Europe, 1989–2015 (Routledge, 2017) and the co-editor of xvi List of contributors Competitiveness and Solidarity in the European Union: Interdisciplinary Perspectives (Routledge, 2018). Fabien Escalona is a PhD holder in political science and a journalist. He is an associate researcher of the Cevipol (Free University of Brussels). His research focuses on social democracy as a party family. He is a co-editor of The Palgrave Handbook of Social Democracy in the European Union. He also works on French politics and radical left parties. Gregoris Ioannou is a Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow. He is a political and media sociologist and holds degrees from LSE (BSc and MSc) and Warwick (PhD). Aspects of his work have been published in international peer reviewed journals such as Mediterranean Politics, Mobilization: An International Quarterly, Working USA: The Journal of Labor and Society and Capital and Class, and as book chapters in various collective volumes. His recent publications dealt with trade unions, social movements and contentious politics, the labour market in the crisis, and media framing in southern Europe and Cyprus. He is also an external Expert for the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) on ‘Working Conditions and Sustainable Work’. Giorgos Katsambekis is a lecturer in European and International Politics at Loughborough University. He is the co-editor of the volumes Radical Democracy and Collective Movements Today (Ashgate, 2014) and The Populist Radical Left in Europe (Routledge, 2019). His recent work has appeared in The Political Quarterly, Constellations, Javnost–The Public, Contemporary Political Theory, Critical Discourse Studies and The Journal of Political Ideologies. Alexandros Kioupkiolis (BA Athens, MA Essex, DPhil Oxford) is Assistant Professor of Contemporary Political Theory at Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece. His research interests are focused on radical democracy, the commons, social movements and the philosophy of freedom. He is directing an ERC COG project on these topics (Heteropolitics, 2017–2020) and has published numerous relevant books and papers, including the monograph Freedom After the Critique of Foundations (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012), and the collective volume Radical Democracy and Collective Movements Today (Ashgate, 2014). His new monograph is entitled Alternative Commons and Another Politics of Hegemony (Edinburgh University Press, 2019). Richard Mullin completed his doctorate at the University of Sussex in 2010 on the relationship between Lenin’s Iskra newspaper and the Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party in the period leading up to the latter’s Second Congress. Since then, he has translated a number of documents from Russian to English connected to this period in the party’s history, which were published in the collection The RSDLP, 1899–1904 (Brill, 2015). He is currently working on a monograph on the List of contributors xvii history of Russian Populism and Social Democracy and is employed outside academia. Vassilis Petsinis (PhD Birmingham) is a Marie Curie Experienced Researcher at the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies (University of Tartu, Estonia). His individual project is entitled: ‘Patterns and management of ethnic relations in the Baltic States and the Western Balkans’. Vassilis Petsinis has developed an expertise in ethnopolitics, nationalism and populism with a regional specialisation in Central and Eastern Europe. He has taught and conducted research in Serbia, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Estonia and Latvia. Seraphim Seferiades (PhD Columbia) is Associate Professor of Political Science at the Panteion University of Social and Political Science, Athens and Life Member in Politics and History at the University of Cambridge (CLH). For several years the Secretary of the Greek Political Science Association, he has been Senior Member at the University of Oxford (St Peter’s College), Fellow and Tutor in the Arts at the University of Cambridge (CHU), Jean Monnet Fellow at the European University Institute, and Hannah Seeger Davis Fellow at Princeton University. His work spans European and Greek labour and social history, contentious politics and social science methodology. He has edited or co-edited volumes on methodology, social movements and the Greek dictatorship, and published extensively in journals such as Comparative Politics, the European Journal of Industrial Relations, the Journal of Contemporary History, the Rivista Italiana di Scienza Politica, the Journal of Modern Greek Studies, Actuel Marx, Pôle Sud, Partecipazione e Conflitto and the Greek Political Science Review. His latest publications include the books The Red Thread of a Decade: Analyses and Texts in the Crisis Years (Topos, 2017); On the Pathways of Historiography: Critical Overview from a Social Scientific Perspective (Themelio, 2014); and Democratic Functioning at a Crossroads: Challenges and Threats in the early 21st Century (editor) (Nissos, 2014). Owen Worth works at the Department of Politics and Public Administration at the University of Limerick. He is the author of Hegemony, International Political Economy and Post-Communist Russia (Ashgate, 2005), Resistance in the Age of Austerity (Zed Books, 2013), Rethinking Hegemony (Palgrave, 2015) and Morbid Symptoms: The Global Rise of the Far Right (Zed Books, 2019).