Discontent with Procedural and Meritocratic Democracy

Although there is much literature on populism and its causes, Michael Sandel’s particular contribution to this field of study has received little attention so far. The purpose of this essay is to explain what Sandel adds to the status questionis on the causes of populism, and to evaluate the remedy that follows from his analysis. We argue that Sandel’s earlier works incorporate aspects of the Durkheimian mass society thesis, as they emphasize how the public discontent with liberal individualism stimulates populist sentiments. Sandel’s later works, however, are more similar to the Downsian economic thesis, as he therein focusses on the role of markets, meritocracy and globalization processes. We end by analysing Sandel’s republican approach as an alternative solution to the rise of populism.