Towards a psychological theory of populist mobilization: reflecting on Laclau’s engagement with social psychology and the theory of crowds

An overlooked aspect of Ernesto Laclau’s theory of populism is his discussion of social psychology. In the opening chapters of On Populist Reason, Laclau engages with classic contributions to social psychology, such as Gustave Le Bon’s and William McDougall’s work on crowds and Freud’s reflections on group psychology. Reconstructing this engagement is essential for a deeper understanding of Laclau’s “mature” conception of populism and for addressing its limitations. From an ethical perspective, Laclau’s engagement with social psychology provides a means to challenge the “denigration of the masses” that informed early studies of crowds and persists in contemporary critiques of populism. At the same time, these debates lay the groundwork for what may be described as a “psychoanalytic theory of populist mobilization” informed by Freud’s ideas on identification in group psychology, where the leader serves as a focal point for an otherwise dispersed collective. Incorporating this psychoanalytic dimension offers a more solid grounding for Laclau’s rather abstract theory, and a way to develop a more nuanced understanding of the internal dynamics of populist movements and their different outcomes.