The Populist Foundations of Democracy: A Conceptual History of "the People" [Folket] in the Constitutional Struggles in Denmark, 1830-1920

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

This article reconstructs and analyses the conceptual history of "the people"[Folket] in modern Danish history. It applies qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze new data and archival materials and provides a detailed study of the construction, development and central role of populist conceptions of "the people"in the constitutional struggles between 1830 and 1920 that transformed Denmark from an absolute monarchy into a parliamentary democracy. I argue that these populist conceptualizations of "the people"shaped and fostered the emergence of the ideas and practices of parliamentary democracy as "the people's rule"[Folkestyre]. This case study thereby challenges contemporary assumptions about an inherently adversarial relationship between populism and democracy. Moreover, it makes a number of empirical and analytical contributions to the existing historiography, as well as the literature on the construction of "the people,"democracy and populism.

Original languageEnglish
JournalEuropean Journal of Sociology
Volume65
Issue number1
Number of pages39
ISSN0003-9756
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024

Keywords

  • Denmark
  • The people
  • conceptual history
  • constituent power
  • democracy
  • democratic theory
  • democratization
  • historical sociology
  • nationalism
  • populism

Cite this