--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No, we should not be afraid of the…" description: "\"No, we should not be afraid of the populists; we should embrace those they are fighting.\" — Jean-Claude Juncker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f0/jean-claude-juncker-3277_afraid_no-we-should-not-be-afraid-of-the-populi_3140448.png" --- # No, we should not be afraid of the populists; we should… ![“No, we should not be afraid of the populists; we should embrace those they are fighting.” quote by Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f0/jean-claude-juncker-3277_afraid_no-we-should-not-be-afraid-of-the-populi_3140448.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f0/jean-claude-juncker-3277_afraid_no-we-should-not-be-afraid-of-the-populi_3140448.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f0/jean-claude-juncker-3277_afraid_no-we-should-not-be-afraid-of-the-populi_3140448.png) > “No, we should not be afraid of the populists; we should embrace those they are fighting.” [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages confronting populist movements by understanding their grievances rather than fearing them. **In simple terms:** Face populists by understanding their concerns. Key Takeaway Listen and engage with populist concerns. Themes politics populism engagement Mood cautious reflective Type political analytical When to use this quote - public policy debates - community meetings - media analysis Key Concepts democratic discourse social cohesion Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders address legitimate grievances without empowering extremism? - What risks arise from ignoring populist sentiment? A Different Perspective Populist movements can be irrational and hostile. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/) [Afraid Populists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-populists-5593906/) [Embrace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embrace/) [Embrace Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embrace-fighting-5593908/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [Populists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/populists-609982/) [Populists Embrace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/populists-embrace-5593907/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Those](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/those/) ## Related quotes > [The populists are spreading slogans. We have to offer solutions and answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/the-populists-are-spreading-slogans-we-have-to-offer-solutions-and/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [The populists themselves are dangerous, but they are far more dangerous when the traditional, classic parties adopt their harmful proposals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/the-populists-themselves-are-dangerous-but-they-are-far-more/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [ The designers \[of the 1930s\] were populists, you see; they were trying to give the public what it wanted. What the public wanted was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/the-designers-of-the-1930s-were-populists-you-see-they-were-trying-to/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [The U.S. and, to a certain extent, countries in Europe as well, have experienced growing inequality within their population for decades - a small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-bloom/the-u-s-and-to-a-certain-extent-countries-in-europe-as-well-have/) [Nicholas Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-bloom/) > [Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Marine Le Pen seem to have no respect for the institutions that were created after World War II, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-and-marine-le-pen-seem-to-have-no-respect/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [“What it mainly revealed was that one of the most insidious of the “hidden injuries of class” in North American society was the denial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-graeber/what-it-mainly-revealed-was-that-one-of-the-most-insidious-of-the/) [David Graeber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-graeber/) > [Trump is a populist in the same mold as the nineteenth-century Populists who gave their name to American grassroots political movements. Historians and pundits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-cox-richardson/trump-is-a-populist-in-the-same-mold-as-the-nineteenth-century/) [Heather Cox Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-cox-richardson/) > [Populists have always been out to challenge the orthodoxy of the corporate order and to empower workaday Americans so they can control their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/populists-have-always-been-out-to-challenge-the-orthodoxy-of-the/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Liberals want to manage the damage with government programs to take care of those who have fallen between the cracks. Populists want to fix…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/liberals-want-to-manage-the-damage-with-government-programs-to-take/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [To those who accuse us of being populists, we respond that if this means listening to the people, then yes, we are!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuseppe-conte/to-those-who-accuse-us-of-being-populists-we-respond-that-if-this/) [Giuseppe Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giuseppe-conte/) > [Populists love rich people. They just hate professionals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/populists-love-rich-people-they-just-hate-professionals/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [Late 19th-century populists saw bankers and industrialists manipulating markets to enrich themselves at the expense of small farmers and labourers and favoured political candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/late-19th-century-populists-saw-bankers-and-industrialists/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [A lot of populists after populism died just became socialists. At the beginning of the 20th century, socialism looked like it was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-frank/a-lot-of-populists-after-populism-died-just-became-socialists-at-the/) [Thomas Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-frank/) > [As long as inequality and other social problems plague us, populists will try to exploit them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/as-long-as-inequality-and-other-social-problems-plague-us-populists/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [Donald Trump did not cause America's democratic crisis of faith, he rode to power on it. Once in control, he and other populists discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-olusoga/donald-trump-did-not-cause-america-s-democratic-crisis-of-faith-he/) [David Olusoga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-olusoga/) ## More by Jean-Claude Juncker > [ I don't think in national categories. For me it \[policy\] is about concepts and substance. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-don-t-think-in-national-categories-for-me-it-policy-is-about/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [Germany will continue to play a central - perhaps even a more important - role in the European Union. I think that we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/germany-will-continue-to-play-a-central-perhaps-even-a-more-important/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [I am for it - not to make a threat, but to make clear that decisions that have been made are applicable law, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-am-for-it-not-to-make-a-threat-but-to-make-clear-that-decisions/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [With their charm and legendary sense of humor, the British directly or indirectly paved the way for a large number of European compromises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/with-their-charm-and-legendary-sense-of-humor-the-british-directly-or/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [I said in my inaugural address that I am not the Council's secretary, nor am I the Parliament's lackey. That can sometimes lead to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-said-in-my-inaugural-address-that-i-am-not-the-council-s-secretary/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [I have a plan. It entails leading to a fair deal and relationship with the British. We will be reasonable, but we will also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-have-a-plan-it-entails-leading-to-a-fair-deal-and-relationship-with/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [I am in favor of the European institutions being led for the next two-and-a-half years as they have been thus far. We need stability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-am-in-favor-of-the-european-institutions-being-led-for-the-next-two/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [I was never presented with the details as far as the collective bargaining system is Greece. I am in favor of a normal system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-was-never-presented-with-the-details-as-far-as-the-collective/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [God understands more about the financial markets than many who write about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/god-understands-more-about-the-financial-markets-than-many-who-write/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [The outcome of the referendum does not affect those of my officials who have British nationality, since they work for Europe and not for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/the-outcome-of-the-referendum-does-not-affect-those-of-my-officials/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [I assumed office to bring the EU to a point from which there is no going back. Instead, I am having to unwind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-assumed-office-to-bring-the-eu-to-a-point-from-which-there-is-no/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [I notice with a certain sense of regret that far too many Europeans are returning to a regional and national mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-notice-with-a-certain-sense-of-regret-that-far-too-many-europeans/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [ My father was a steel worker and Martin's \[Schulz\] grandfather was a miner in Saarland. In these occupations, there is a particular awareness of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/my-father-was-a-steel-worker-and-martin-s-schulz-grandfather-was-a/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [I completely agree with Helmut Kohl. I am not an advocate of the "United States of Europe," nor am I an integration fanatic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-completely-agree-with-helmut-kohl-i-am-not-an-advocate-of-the/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [How will the exit affect thousands of British pensioners living in Portugal or Spain who will lose their access to the welfare and health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/how-will-the-exit-affect-thousands-of-british-pensioners-living-in/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) [Explore all 135 Jean-Claude Juncker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) [Darlene Senger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darlene-senger/) > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) [Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No, we should not be afraid of the populists; we should embrace those they are fighting.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean-Claude Juncker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/no-we-should-not-be-afraid-of-the-populists-we-should-embrace-those/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afraid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/no-we-should-not-be-afraid-of-the-populists-we-should-embrace-those/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f0/jean-claude-juncker-3277_afraid_no-we-should-not-be-afraid-of-the-populi_3140448.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f0/jean-claude-juncker-3277_afraid_no-we-should-not-be-afraid-of-the-populi_3140448.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f0/jean-claude-juncker-3277_afraid_no-we-should-not-be-afraid-of-the-populi_3140448.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No, we should not be afraid of the populists; we should embrace those they are fighting.” — Jean-Claude Juncker", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jean-Claude Juncker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "No, we should not be afraid...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/no-we-should-not-be-afraid-of-the-populists-we-should-embrace-those/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/no-we-should-not-be-afraid-of-the-populists-we-should-embrace-those/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```