People

Since the dawn of politics, leaders have claimed tospeak for “the people.” Some have led revolutions in their name; others havecrushed them under the same banner. But who, exactly, are “the people”? And howhas this elusive concept shaped the rise and fall of governments, from Rome tothe Renaissance, from Robespierre to Trump?The People: A Brief History of Power and Populism fromAntiquity to Today takes readers on an exhilarating journey throughhistory’s greatest political gambits. From the Athenian agora to the socialmedia battlefield, this book explores how rulers, revolutionaries, anddemagogues have harnessed the power of the crowd—sometimes for democracy,sometimes for destruction.With sharp analysis and gripping storytelling, ThePeople unpacks the mechanics of populism: how it surges in times of crisis,how it transforms societies, and why it so often ends in betrayal. Frommedieval peasant revolts to Latin American caudillos, from 19th-centurynationalism to today’s algorithm-driven movements, the book reveals strikingpatterns and hidden connections across centuries.