Abstract
Many scholars view populism in pejorative terms. Our research in the United States suggests that ordinary citizens are divided on the value of populism as a political movement. When framed as a moral issue, populism receives considerable support from Americans on the political left as well as the political right. When framed as a nativist issue, populism loses support from the left but continues to be endorsed by those on the right. We present research that examines specific issues endorsed by U.S. citizens who consider themselves populist and show that reframing of issues in moral vs. nativist motivation has significantly different impact on liberal and conservative populists. Taxing the wealthy or castigating a free press are policies that have appeal to populists when framed as a moral issue (e.g., fairness). However, liberal populists’ support for specific policies is eroded when the same policies are attached to a nativist (e.g., “America First”) doctrine. Our chapter examines how value-framing can affect support for populist positions in democratic countries.