Definition of "populism" []

• A political philosophy supporting the rights and power of the people in their struggle against the privileged elite. (noun)
• The movement organized around this philosophy. (noun)
• The philosophy of the Populist Party. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "By doing so, Obama will hopefully redefine the term "populism" in the political conversation."
• "The term "populism" is the more common label for commercial elitism, while "elitism" is almost always reserved for critical elitism, so from here on in those are the terms I'll use."
• "Largely funded by a few large industries and individuals (such as the Koch brothers), the Tea Party's pseudo-populism is not the same as the Christian Right's."