Populism and Authoritarianism in the Arab World: A Regional Conceptualization

Abstract This paper utilizes three key theoretical frameworks prevalent in populism research – discursive, strategic, and performative approaches – to provide a regional conceptualization of populism in the Arab world. The analysis draws on a cross-historical examination of authoritarian populist politics in the post-independence and post-Arab Spring periods. The paper argues that Arab authoritarian leaders employ populism to consolidate personalistic regimes, capitalizing on a state-centric identity to draw in new constituencies beyond traditional patronage constituencies. During the post-independence period, populism was a dominant force in the authoritarian politics of most Arab republics, playing a fundamental role in state-building and decolonization within a corporatist framework. Conversely, post-Arab Spring populism achieved substantial success primarily in Egypt and Tunisia. The paper suggests that the state’s strong historical legacy in these countries, compared to other Arab republics, enabled contemporary populist leaders to exploit an alternative identity centred around the state during their consolidation of power.