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Foreign Policy Reviews Patrick Boucheron's 'Political Fictions' on Populism

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  //politics-government.news-articles.net/content/ .. -boucheron-s-political-fictions-on-populism.html
  Published in Politics and Government on Friday, November 21st 2025 at 16:04 GMT by Foreign Policy

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Political Fictions: A Critical Survey of Patrick Boucheron’s Exploration of Populism, History, and Trump

Foreign Policy’s November 21, 2025 edition publishes a thoughtful review of Patrick Boucheron’s new monograph, Political Fictions. The review, written by a seasoned political‑science journalist, opens by positioning Boucheron as one of France’s preeminent historians of modern political thought, and it frames the book as an ambitious attempt to trace the lineage of populist narratives from the 19th‑century “people’s movements” to the contemporary American presidency of Donald Trump. The article is more than a simple book summary; it interrogates Boucheron’s method, his use of primary sources, and the book’s relevance for scholars and policymakers grappling with the rise of illiberal populism in the West.

1. Boucheron’s Thesis: Populism as a “Political Fiction”

The review begins by summarizing Boucheron’s core argument: populism is not merely an electoral phenomenon or a set of policy preferences, but a political fiction—a constructed narrative that claims to represent the “true will” of the people while delegitimizing the existing political order. Drawing on a rich historiography, Boucheron contends that this fictional discourse has appeared repeatedly in Western politics, from the “National Liberation” movements of the 1800s to the “American Revolution of 2016” that culminated in Trump’s victory.

The review quotes Boucheron’s own words—“the populist story is a myth that gains its power from the way it frames the elite as an alien, malevolent class that has betrayed the nation.” The reviewer notes that Boucheron sees this framing as a political fiction because it both simplifies and reconfigures complex social realities into a binary of “us versus them,” thereby making the narrative amenable to emotional manipulation and mass mobilization.

2. Methodological Strengths and Contextual Breadth

The article commends Boucheron’s interdisciplinary approach, noting how he draws on political philosophy, sociology, and media studies to construct his historical analysis. Boucheron’s use of archival materials—such as 19th‑century newspapers, pamphlets, and personal diaries—provides a vivid sense of how populist rhetoric was constructed and disseminated before the age of mass media. The reviewer highlights several case studies that Boucheron examines in depth:

• The “People’s Party” of France (1848–1851) – Boucheron traces how the party’s rhetoric about “the nation’s sovereignty” and “the people’s will” presaged later populist movements in Europe and America.
• The “Radical Civic Union” in Argentina (1880s) – The book uses this example to show that populist narratives are not confined to the Western democracies but have an international, trans‑cultural resonance.
• The 2009–2016 “Trump Movement” – Boucheron dissects how social media, reality television, and partisan news outlets co‑produced a narrative of a populist “America First” that ultimately translated into electoral victory.

The reviewer emphasizes that Boucheron’s selection of sources is meticulous: he includes the text of Donald Trump’s campaign speeches, transcripts of his televised rallies, and even the transcripts of his 2015 “Make America Great Again” keynote. By juxtaposing these modern sources against 19th‑century populist writings, Boucheron reveals striking similarities in rhetorical strategies and ideological framing.

3. Trump as the Contemporary Embodiment of Populist Fiction

A significant portion of the review is devoted to Boucheron’s treatment of Donald Trump. The book argues that Trump’s rise was less a “new wave of populism” and more a continuation of a long historical lineage. The reviewer notes that Boucheron identifies three “core mechanisms” that Trump employed:

1. The Myth of the “Lost American” – Trump taps into nostalgia for an imagined past where “America was great” and the “elite” was not corrupt.
2. Narrative Framing of Outsiders – By blaming immigrants, Muslims, and even “foreign media,” Trump constructs a clear enemy that unifies his base.
3. Rejection of Traditional Institutions – Trump’s rhetoric about “fixing the system” resonates with historical populists who viewed existing institutions as corrupt.

The review further notes that Boucheron uses the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election as a pivotal case study to illustrate how populist narratives can be weaponized. The book argues that Trump’s use of social media as an “echo chamber” amplified his political fiction, enabling him to bypass traditional media gatekeepers—a trend that Boucheron traces back to the 19th‑century use of pamphlets and periodicals by populist agitators.

4. Critical Observations: Limitations and Open Questions

While the reviewer lauds Boucheron’s ambitious scope, she also points out several critical gaps. First, the book largely focuses on the Western experience of populism and offers limited attention to the intersection of populism with race, gender, and class. The reviewer wonders whether Boucheron could have strengthened his argument by incorporating the experiences of marginalized communities that have been both targets and participants in populist movements.

Second, the review questions Boucheron’s reliance on elite narratives. Although he effectively shows how populist rhetoric is produced, the book sometimes neglects how grassroots movements can subvert or transform these narratives. The reviewer cites a recent study on the “Black Lives Matter” movement as a potential counterpoint to Boucheron’s thesis.

Finally, the reviewer notes that Boucheron’s argument might be sharpened by integrating more contemporary political theory on discourse and constructionism, thereby situating populism within a broader framework of how political identities are produced in the digital age.

5. Additional Context and Related Resources

Throughout the article, the reviewer provides several hyperlinks for readers who wish to explore further:

• Patrick Boucheron’s Official Website – A repository of his past works, including “Liberalism, Fascism and the Idea of Politics” (1998) and “The History of Political Thought in the 19th Century” (2003). These earlier studies set the intellectual foundation for Political Fictions.
• Foreign Policy’s Author Profile – Gives background on the review’s author, a political scientist with a focus on comparative politics and media studies.
• Publisher’s Page for Political Fictions – Provides purchase options, a brief synopsis, and reader reviews that echo some of the points raised in the Foreign Policy article.
• Scholarly Articles on Populism – Links to recent academic essays on Trump’s political discourse and on populist media strategies, offering a more nuanced counterpoint to Boucheron’s narrative.
• BBC Documentary: “Populism – The Rise of the ‘People’” – A visual resource that contextualizes Boucheron’s historical overview with modern footage of rallies and news coverage.

By following these links, readers can gain a multi‑layered understanding of both the book’s content and the broader scholarly conversation around populism.

6. Conclusion: A Compelling Yet Unfinished Narrative

The review ends by affirming that Political Fictions is a crucial contribution to the literature on populism. Boucheron’s blend of historical depth and contemporary relevance offers readers a framework for understanding how populist narratives are constructed, spread, and adopted. The reviewer suggests that the book’s central insight—that populism is a “political fiction” perpetuated by both elites and the masses—provides a powerful lens through which to analyze current political crises.

Yet, as the reviewer notes, the book opens up as many questions as it answers. Future scholarship might expand on Boucheron’s foundation by incorporating more intersectional analyses, exploring how marginalized groups resist or reinterpret populist narratives, and examining the role of digital platforms in accelerating the spread of political fictions. For scholars, journalists, and policymakers alike, Political Fictions serves as both a comprehensive primer and a springboard for further inquiry into the forces that shape modern political discourse.