The Concept of Populism in Enrique Dussel

Theoretical Critique and Implications for Contemporary Brazil

Abstract

The article critically analyzes the concept of “populism” in Enrique Dussel, highlighting its theoretical fragility and ideological function in contemporary political debate. It argues that the term operates more as an instrument of delegitimization than as an analytical category. The study develops along three axes: the conceptual critique of populism, the reconstruction of the categories of “people” and “popular,” and the application of this framework to the contemporary Brazilian context. It contends that the indiscriminate use of the concept obscures historical processes, while the notion of “people,” understood as the social bloc of the oppressed, provides greater theoretical density and explanatory capacity.