Demagogy (Noun)
Meaning
Impassioned appeals to the prejudices and emotions of the populace.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The politician's opponents accused her of resorting to demagogy, exploiting public fears about immigration to boost her poll ratings.
- In a cynical ploy to galvanize his base, the charismatic leader engaged in blatant demagogy, playing on anxieties about the economy to demonize his rivals.
- As election day approached, both candidates found themselves drawn into demagogy, their increasingly emotive language courting outrage rather than critical reflection.
- Populist commentators trafficked in demagogy, trafficking racist tropes to scapegoat ethnic minorities for deep-seated societal ills.
- Far-right media channels shamelessly cultivated a sense of widespread anxiety through masterful exercises in demagogy, weaponizing genuine anxieties for purely propagandistic purposes.