When "the people" of populism is constructed by the relatively privileged: the case of Catalan secessionism

This article examines the phenomenon of the "populism of the privileged", whereby relatively privileged groups articulate populism to legitimize and enhance their positions of domination. Despite the growing literature on populism, few studies have attended to this counterintuitive construction of "the people" as an underdog struggling against a power bloc from a position of relative privilege. By examining the Catalan independence movement during the 2010s, this study draws on discourse theory to conceptualize the "populism of the privileged" and explore how various dimensions of sociological privilege are used to legitimize and reinforce dominant positions within Catalonia and Spain by means of populist politics. Finally, the article engages with the implications of the "populism of the privileged" in terms of inter-group relations, political integration, and the democratic principle of equality. By offering a nuanced analysis of this underexplored phenomenon, this article contributes to the growing literature on populism and provides insights into the complex relationship between populism, privilege, and power.