antielite

Antielite is a term used in political analysis to describe attitudes, rhetoric, or movements that oppose political, economic, or cultural elites perceived as distant, self-serving, or unresponsive to the needs of ordinary people. The concept is not a single, formal ideology but a disposition that elites are responsible for neglecting or harming the broader population, and that governance should be more directly accountable to citizens.

Etymology and usage: derived from anti- and elite, antielite is used across languages to characterize anti-elite sentiment in public discourse. It often appears in discussions of populism, anti-establishment politics, and reformist movements, where critics and supporters alike deploy the term to describe a common stance rather than a fixed program.

Common features: antielite rhetoric typically critiques professional politicians, business or financial elites, and cultural or media elites. It emphasizes popular sovereignty, reduced elite influence, and calls for greater transparency, accountability, or direct citizen participation. The form of antielite sentiment can be found on both left-leaning and right-leaning ends of the political spectrum, sometimes aligning with calls for systemic reform and other times with nationalist or anti-globalization themes.

Reception and critique: scholars note that antielite rhetoric can mobilize support by addressing grievances about perceived detachment and corruption, but it can also oversimplify complex policy problems, scapegoat groups, or undermine expertise and institutions. Critics warn that anti-elite narratives may drift toward anti-democratic or anti-intellectual tendencies if not balanced by constructive reform and evidence-based policy.

See also: populism, anti-establishment, anti-elitism, grassroots politics.