Populism and Accountability: Interdisciplinary Researches – An Introduction

Many global citizens of yesteryears and even in today’s twenty-first century existed in political environments where the wishes and concerns of the ordinary citizens were generally ignored by a few established elite groups. Those in government who should be accountable to all were less accountable to the masses. With this in mind, societies were run mainly in the interest of a very few minority. Populism is therefore a political approach which strives to correct this wrong approach to politics and how organisations are run and directed. Populism is an attempt to appeal to ordinary citizens who believe that their concerns are disregarded by those who could have helped to address these concerns, because they are in a position to do so and bring about an egalitarian system of government and consequently an egalitarian society. Accountability on the other hand is one of the requirements and qualities of a good system of governance in today’s business and civil society. It is an obligation to accept responsibility for one’s action either as a public or private sector leader or servant. The absence or lack of accountability erodes confidence in what those at the helm of activities are doing, which makes a mockery of all things done in societal name and interest.