A sentiment echoes across the United States, and it stems from “the people.” Just last week, “the people” elected a president. How can we understand this political moment better? Let’s go back to Plato and his cave. Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave,” from the Republic, helps us understand populism in the U.S. today and its role in Donald Trump’s rise.
The “Allegory of the Cave,” aims to understand the effect of education, or lack of it, on our nature. Plato describes his allegory as follows: There are humans living inside of a cave that extends far with an entrance leading to the outside world. These humans, or prisoners, are chained to the ground and can only see the wall in front of them. Behind them, which they cannot see, is a long upward pathway that has a fire. In front of the fire, there is a wall similar to a screen in front of puppeteers in a show. There are people behind this wall who carry figures of animals, people and other objects. When the light from the fire falls on these figures, it casts a shadow on the wall the prisoners face. This is all they see — the shadows of the figures. These shadows constitute their perception of reality.
Plato suggests that these prisoners believe nothing is the truth except these shadows. He then discusses if a prisoner escaped, he’d be pained and unable to understand that his former truths are inconsequential. The prisoner would need time to adjust but slowly he would see figures themselves, the sky and finally sunlight. Now, if the prisoner returned to the cave and tried to free his peers and lead them out, Plato argues they would try to kill him. They only know the shadows and cannot imagine anything else.
In the “Allegory of the Cave,” prisoners view shadows controlled by puppeteers. I propose that the puppeteers aren’t people but ideas and sentiments that grip society in waves. Plato used the allegory to demonstrate the effect of education, or lack of it, and thus these ideas form not only our understanding but also the foundation for future perceptions. I believe these sentiments influence our understanding of society and politics more than any political or influential leader.
Today, populism is the sentiment rising in the U.S. and it is a reflection of people’s political and economic insecurities. Some of these insecurities include rising costs of housing, job availability and food prices.
Populism is interpreted as a political approach that appeals to “the people” or the “common will of the people” who feel opposed to established groups described as “elite.” Populism isn’t built around an ideological agenda, but rather employs rhetoric to appeal to “the people.” The approach speaks to people who feel neglected by the government. For these reasons, I believe U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is not a puppeteer in the cave, but a manifestation of the populist rage in present-day America.
Trump, in his first inaugural address in 2017, said, “We are transferring power from Washington, D.C, and giving it back to you, the people. For too long a small group in our nation’s capital has reaped the rewards of government, while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished, but the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians prospered, but the jobs left and the factories closed. The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country.”
His populist rhetoric speaks to the people’s rage against “the establishment” or the “elite” of America. Trump rose to power not only because of his promises but because he caught the wave of populism in America and is using it well. He saw the shadows in the cave and, through his rallies, spoke to the people’s insecurities and anger toward “the establishment.” But, there’s a strong legitimacy crisis here.
Populist rhetoric aims to challenge the legitimacy of institutions and the government. The government’s legitimacy reflects the people’s belief and trust that the government has the right to govern. In challenging this, populism can weaken societal security, although it attempts to respond to people’s insecurities. One example of this instability is in the conspiracy known as “The Deep State.”
The Deep State conspiracy theory suggests there is a network of individuals in the federal government that are working together with elite leaders furthering their own agenda regardless of the people’s needs. The Deep State became very popular during Trump’s first term when he claimed that it was working against him and his administration. And today, in 2024, Trump has discussed “the enemy within” that opposes him and that he believes it needs to be “handled” by military force if necessary.
Populist politicians tend to cast their opponents as enemies of the people. Trump has done so by identifying “The Deep State” and “the enemy within.” Challenging the legitimacy of the U.S. government can lead to societal instability and insecurity in many Americans. In the long run of our trust in this country, that insecurity is concerning.
We can use Plato’s allegory to understand Trump is not the puppeteer, but merely a manifestation of populist rage in America. He speaks to the people and appeals to their emotions. He differs from other politicians by placing “the people” against an “establishment.” He unveils a common enemy; Whereas another politician may only make promises, Trump is showing there is an enemy against the people and what’s in their best interest.
Many voters with economic concerns find his populist rhetoric appealing. Yet, it’s important that we do not let one idea or sentiment like populism take hold of our perception of the world. If Trump’s rise to power reflects the people’s needs, then populism is stronger than we realize. We will see if the promises that drew his voters in are fulfilled in the next four years of American history. I’m not sure what’s outside the cave but at least I’m trying to see — maybe that’s all we can do right now.
Sophia Romanov Imber is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at [email protected].