In the short text “Characteristics of Demagoguery” and longer article “Democracy, Demagoguery, and Critical Rhetoric,” Patricia Roberts-Miller argues that demagogic discourse contains some central rhetorical characteristics that disrupt typical civic discourse.
For this paper, use Roberts-Miller’s texts as a lens through which you will examine the rhetoric of Donald Trump.
The central question the essay should answer is “To what extent does your person’s rhetoric qualify as demagoguery?” The thesis should answer that question, and the body paragraphs of the paper should defend that answer. The overall project here is to apply Roberts-Miller’s explanation of demagoguery to a specific example.
The paper should focus on how specific demagogic concepts (polarization, oversimplification, demonization, et cetera) operate in the texts provided. You should discuss examples of these concepts, how they work, and their intended effects on the rhetor’s audience. You should also discuss whether these elements are fallacious rhetorically and, if so, to what extent the fallacies reveal a potential weakness in the rhetoric. For this discussion, focus on Roberts-Miller’s section (starting on page 466 of the longer article) that describes the norms of debate and reasoning that certain fallacies undermine. add more depth to the paper by discussing the historical circumstances that make the subject’s rhetoric appealing to the masses.
The paper should also come up with the best possible strategy to defeat the demagogue. For the purposes of this essay, assume that the society in question has a legitimate democratic election system, even if the reality may be more complicated. Discuss concepts and strategies in terms of how they would work with the demagogue’s audience in the given historical context. Be ruthlessly practical about your strategies, audience, and context. This paper is not about what should work against a demagogue in a rational, ethical context, because a demagogue represents an irrational decision-making process by the audience; rather, this paper is about what could work against a demagogue in the human context in which he or she rose to power.
Texts to use about Donald Trump:
Trump Presidential announcement: http://time.com/3923128/donald-trump-announcement-speech/
Immigration policy: https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/donald-j.-trump-statement-on-preventing-muslim-immigration
Anderson Cooper interview about Muslims: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2016/03/10/trump_islam_hates_us.html
Statement on banning Muslim immigration: https://www.donaldjtrump.com/press-releases/donald-j.-trump-statement-on-preventing-muslim-immigrationLinks to an external site. http://thememoryhole2.org/blog/trump-muslim-immigration
News story from CNN on Trump’s proposal for surveillance on some mosques: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdoupKZa2Bs
CBS News story on Trump’s willingness to consider closing mosques: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFi5Z51UcIE
2011 Christian Broadcasting Network interview where Trump argues that the world has a “Muslim problem”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi1fBUgYjAU
Article about the wall with Mexico: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/politics/trumps-changing-wall/?utm_term=.91fae9ef453f
