An apology offered and, equally important, received is a step towards reconciliation and, sometimes, recompense. Without that process, hurts can rankle and fester and erupt into their own hatreds and wrongdoings.
Margaret MacmillanRead
Nominally left- and right-wing populists differ primarily in their choice of which 'others' to exclude and attack, with the former singling out big corporations and oligarchs, and the latter targeting ethnic or religious minorities.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Populists, whether left or right, focus their anger on different groups while claiming to represent the common people.
In this quote, Margaret Macmillan highlights the fundamental difference between left-wing and right-wing populism, emphasizing that both political movements rally support by identifying and attacking 'others.' Left-wing populists typically direct their critiques towards the economic elites, such as large corporations and oligarchs, while right-wing populists often target ethnic or religious minorities. This observation illustrates a common trend in populist rhetoric, where the act of exclusion reinforces a sense of identity for the group claiming to represent the general populace.
Themes
PopulismPoliticsExclusionIdentityEliteMinoritiesCritique
In practice
Example use cases
In a political debate discussing the divide in societal issues.
More from Margaret Macmillan
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War is a crucial, deeply ingrained part of human history. It has to be understood.
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There was that argument that if we had more women in positions of authority, the world would be a nicer place. And then we got Golda Meir, Margaret Thatcher, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Indira Gandhi. When women become acclimatised to war, they can become every bit as ruthless as men.
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Theodore Roosevelt's policy to build a two-ocean navy confirmed that the old-style isolationism of the founders had not survived the modern, increasingly globalized world.
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If we don't take responsibility for each other, it seems to me the future is going to be even bleaker.
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