Social Cohesion, Populism, and the Church's Prophetic Role in the State

Introduction The year 2024 saw a record number of elections throughout the world as over 60 countries voted in governments.[1] Two related topics discussed during the year were populism in response to existing governments and the problem of social cohesion. This essay explores these topics in regard to the place of Christians in society. Populism One of the interesting topics in focus was, and continues to be, the opposing of people and movements to established governments and controlling elites. Populism arises for various reasons. One is a people's revolt against a government that disregards the people it governs. This also happens with regard to other institutions: the administration grows apart from and does not feel responsible to the people for whom it exists. People become wary of institutions and might even doubt their legitimacy. This can lead to a popular revolution. Officials given power wish to preserve it and are tempted to exercise it for selfish or partisan reasons. Persons in government might also provoke a populist reaction when they use the legitimate machinery of governance—executive, legislative, and judicial—in new ways to bring about radical change in manageme...