Populism is primarily devoted to furthering and defending the interests and attitudes of ordinary citizens, the people. Populism is expansionary and meant to be for all. It has traditionally been distrustful of large and powerful organizations, whether public or private. It views massive government bureaucracy and corporate privilege with equal suspicion. Moreover, concentrations of power and privilege held too long by the same persons lead inevitably to moral and political corruption. Populist movements fight for participation in economic and political structures that affect the lives of ordinary citizens. For fear of corruption and to allow rule by the people, it has excluded elites, for the most part.

Juan Peron in Argentina, Lazaro Cardenas in Mexico and Getulio Vargas in Brazil are just some examples of classic populist leaders. Populist leaders were able to come to power after the decline of the foreign economies. Economic crisis was seen as the failure of the elites. It was under this context that alternatives to the old, elite dominated political authorities came from the military and also from the rise of populist leaders. The rise of populism at this time was directly linked to the failure of the old political elites to prevent massive economic disaster as a result from the depression and their unwillingness to incorporate the population into politics. This tense political climate was what allowed populist movements and strong leaders to emerge.

Populism in the U.S. was different from that of Latin America. In the U.S. it was more of an agrarian revolt rather than a change in government control. Populist in the U.S. sought to change certain policies and ban together in order to unionize and seek benefits, whereas the populist of Latin America were looking for a more profound concept of change. Latin American populism replaced the ruling system that was formerly in place, the caudillo system that was run by the elites. The caudillo system was then replaced by populism where the people chose their leaders and the causes which they were willing to support. The entire structure of the state changed in Latin America and gave way to a new form of governance supported by the people.

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