The conventional complaint about politicians is “shirking”—their failure to do what voters want.64 I maintain that “shirking” should be dethroned in favor of “demagoguery.” Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines a demagogue as “a leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power.”65 Put bluntly, rule by demagogues is not an aberration. It is the natural condition of democracy. Demagoguery is the winning strategy as long as the electorate is prejudiced and credulous.
