Politics is the way in which one governs an area. Obviously, how one governs should reflect the people's desire to be governed either autocratically, bureaucratically or any other way. At least that is the theoretical basis of populism. So far that seems the best way to go... that is until you realise the equation is divided into the classical dichotomy of majority and minority. So then how should politics work if not for populism? Perhaps, politics to citizens should be what parents are to children? But then again, parents aren't perfect... but (most of them) are willing to negotiate.

And that is the chasm between populism and traditional politics - the compassionate gap between the people and those that control. 

Politicians should be open to suggestions from the general public, they must be down to earth yet also have the charisma to convincingly argue against majority rule and stand up for minority rights. Additionally, they should be able to compromise with revolutionaries and be willing to modify the status quo if deemed humane to do so.

Politicians should be social butterflies.

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Edit: 18th May 2021

The fact of the matter is, people should not be given democratic rights.

But it isn't their fault. It is the fault of the education system - people have been taught what to think instead of how to think. Their brains are full of (sometimes useful) facts but is devoid of how to navigate politics.

Democracy - which is dependent of populism - does not work. At least not yet.

People will always vote for what they want over what they need. People want lower taxes but better welfare? Well, where is the money coming from then?

Populist voters will vote for those politicians who manipulate them; those who offer false promises simply to win votes; those who resort to sophistry. The public are just blind to this - they haven't been taught properly how to think. It is essentially the blind leading the blind.

Politics should therefore not be democratic until people can actually think for themselves for what they need as a society instead of what they want as an individual. 

What this society needs is a noocratic dictatorship - it is a government that does not give the public what they want but rather what it needs. If you don't know what noocratic means, then you've proven my point - you simply don't deserve democratic rights. Don't just expect things to be given to you, if you don't know, find out! Governance isn't about being taken care of - it is a mutual responsibility. 

As Rosseau warned: "As soon as any man says of the affairs of the State, 'What does it matter to me?' the Statemay be given up for lost."