The Political Logic of Populism in the Philippines: The Presidencies of Quezon, Magsaysay, and Marcos

Abstract

The article examines the foundation and formation of populist logic in the Philippines, focusing on the presidencies of Manuel Quezon, Ramon Magsaysay, and Ferdinand Marcos—leaders who relied heavily on populist rhetoric. Combining grounded theory and critical discourse analysis, I trace the populist logic in past articulations of people’s sentiments and demands to identify populism’s linguistic and discursive features, as well as its reproduction of unifying and polarizing signifiers. By casting historical light on populism, I unveil the rhetorical strategies, moral justifications, and temporal perspectives that shaped and continuously shape its articulation and practice in the country.

KEYWORDS: POPULISM • POLITICS • PROPAGANDA • HISTORY • DISCOURSE ANALYSIS