Demagogue Demagogue

Demagogue - Definition and Overview
Related Words: Agitprop, Catalyst, Debate, Exciter, Incendiary, Mouth, Provocateur

A demagogue (sometimes spelled demagog) is a leader who obtains power by appealing to the gut feelings of the public, usually by powerful use of rhetoric and propaganda. H. L. Mencken defined a demagogue as

"one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots."

The word is nowadays mostly used as a political insult: political opponents are described as demagogues, but people we approve of are "men of the people," or great speechmakers.

Etymology

The word is derived from the Greek words demos (people) and agogos (leading).

SEE ALSO

demagogy

Example Usage of Demagogue
rightwingliars: Media Matters staff: The New Yorker on Beck: "energetically hateful, truth-twisting...a Demagogue": From The New Yo... http://bit.ly/6ZDvHP
PaulDelaney: http://tinyurl.com/yztgg2a Lou Dobbs for President? I don't even wanna think about how many supporters that shrieking Demagogue has.
JohnJ2427: Demagogue: someone more interested in blame than solutions.
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