Donald Trump, Silvio Berlusconi, Marine Le Pen, Hugo Chavez -- populists are on the rise across the globe. But what exactly is populism? Should everyone who criticizes Wall Street or Washington be called a populist? What precisely is the difference between right-wing and left-wing populism? Who are "the people" anyway and who can speak in their name? These questions have never been more pressing. In this provocative book, Jan-Werner M ller argues that at populism's core is a rejection of pluralism. Populists will always claim that they and they alone represent the people and their true interests. Proposing a number of concrete strategies for how liberal democrats should best deal with populists, M ller shows how to counter their claims to speak exclusively for "the silent majority".