I read with interest the article “Global rise of populism” (July 20) by Benjamin Moffitt. I do agree with the writer that we should brace ourselves for political surprises all across the world. I am not against populism but we should not lose sight of the ground realities. It is correct that the global political elites have lost credibility but that does not mean that we help create another class of elite by supporting them blindly just to oppose or topple their predecessors. The rise of Donald Trump in the United States present a good case study. His baseless rhetoric found acceptance with the common man, who just wants to get his problems resolved. Truth be told, people like Trump don’t have the capability to resolve any issue. People around the world should learn from the Middle East’s experience with populism. The so-called Arab Spring has changed the political landscape of the region and the region has been transformed into a cauldron of chaos.
I don’t mind people rejecting the status quo but the substitute should be better than demagogues like Trump. — Naveed Jiwani, Riyadh
Rise of populism
