Ayansuyi, Ayanshola Ifeoluwa <br/><br/>
THE RISE OF POPULISM AND THE CRISIS OF LIBERAL DEMOCRACY / 
 A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE US AND HUNGARY 
AYANSHOLA IFEOLUWA AYANSUYI; SUPERVISOR: ASSOC. PROF. DR. SERTAC SONAN 
 - 45 sheets;  31 cm.  Includes CD 
<br/><br/>Thesis (MA) - Cyprus International University. Institute of Graduate Studies and Research International Relations Department 
<br/><br/>Includes bibliography (sheets 43-45) 
<br/><br/> ABSTRACT<br/>This thesis examines the surge of populism against liberal democracy. The research <br/>topic thus The rise of populism and the crisis of liberal democracy: a comparative <br/>study of the US and Hungary. In recent years, cases like the French presidential <br/>election, Brexit, Donald Trump’s election, Victor Orban, and many more events make <br/>populism a spot on due to the failure of the liberal democratic system. Though, liberal <br/>democracy had triumphed and was at a time a mainstream form of government. <br/>Previously, the Soviet Union had collapsed; The Berlin Wall fell; the emergence of <br/>liberal democracy throughout Europe had a conclusive success. Russia and South <br/>Africa’s tottered apartheid regimes were also part of the transition. Liberal democracy <br/>triumphed both in principle and practice. However, economic dislocation, emotional <br/>backlash, and beyond, across the West triggered a demand for better leadership. Even <br/>though populism approves of majoritarianism and principles of popular sovereignty, it <br/>questions constitutionalism and individuals' liberal protections. Furthermore, its <br/>meaning of “the people” as homogeneous does not represent the basis of a new <br/>democracy that stands to protect pluralism. In the light of comparison, two events are <br/>analyzed: the election of the US and Hungary. The two actors explore their strategies <br/>as right-wing populists. The failure of the mainstream political system enabled the <br/>revolt of US populist, Donald Trump in the 2016 election. Trump however benefitted <br/>from the expanded polarization by focusing on conservative positions, like, antiimmigration, economic protectionism to save occupations from going abroad, and <br/>vows to implement more tax cuts. Hence, Trump situated himself to claim that the <br/>average American doesn’t deserve the reigning political administration. However,<br/>Trump failed as a populist. Populism in Hungary however has experienced vast<br/>success since the reign of Victor Orban (2010) who has won four elections as frontman <br/>of his national populist party Fidesz as he termed the system of government an 'illiberal <br/>democracy. Today, the global scene has changed, as increasing support for populist <br/>parties has aided the disruption in politics of many Western societies. Therefore, <br/>populists seek to mend the broken pieces between liberalism and democracy. I, <br/>however, contend that the most compelling answer is situated in the examination of <br/>two theories here. The economic insecurity factor, highlight the consequences of the <br/>changes that transformed the workforce and society in post-industrial economies. <br/>Secondly, the cultural backlash thesis, that supports can be explained as a retro reaction <br/>by once-predominant sectors of the population to progressive value change, which I <br/>found more influential.<br/>Keywords: Economy, Elites, Cultural backlash, Hungary, Liberal democracy, People, <br/>Populism, Trump, United States, Viktor. 
<br/><br/><label>Subjects--Topical Terms: </label><br/>Economics--Dissertations, Academic<br/>Human beings--Dissertations, Academic<br/>Populism--Dissertations, Academic