Populism is a bit of a catchall and I'm not sure it is a good catchall.



Brexit and Trump appear to be driven by economically damaged groups seeking change at no matter what cost because as the pre-existing damaged groups they will not pay that cost. They are not bothered if other groups suffer economically, in fact there seems to be an element of payback mentality.



Whereas the V4 group in the EU and Catalonia for example appear to have different drivers - They are strongly self-identified groups who have been effectively subjugated militarily and have survived culturally by strongly clinging to their concept of national identity - and their reflex is to oppose external control being imposed. It is part of the culture. There are also more than just traces of it in the Scots indie movement who look to have never forgotten the Battle of Culloden.



There is a third mix which is economically strong areas objecting to what they see as their paying a never ending subsidy of their neighbours - that is present in Catalonia, and in the North of Italy for example. It also is present in Brexit and Trump. It clearly is not part of the V4 who are beneficiaries in the EU. Germany also appears to fall into this camp as they feel they are being asked to subsidise some of their neighbours and object to it. In that sense Germany is also populist to its core.



If populism is a catchall and populism has different forms then populist economics doesnt exist. To put Poland and Trump in the same group just doesnt work for me. Poland for example appears to see EU benefits through negative EU contributions as a form of due compensation for being abandoned to the communist bloc at the end of WW2, whereas the US gained economically from WW2.



'Exceptional times require the freedom to experiment in economic policy' - Needs far better assessment than there is in this article simply because most experiments dont work. Broadly I would suggest it is known what is needed to be done, the problem is politician will not do it, and the reason for that is simple, wealth redistribution means losers and the losers wont wear it at the ballot box.



So the game continues until the ballot box overwhelms the losers. In this respect France is good country to watch as they have to deal with serious reform of taxation and public spending which will be painful. The UK went through that process when it became an oil currency at the end of the 70s and it was not pleasant, and was forced on the UK because of external pressures - currency FX. Being in the situation where there is no option is completely different to voting for pain. Italy has similar problems. So if you want an experiment it is already in place and it is France. I expect the experiment to be a monumental mess and Macron to plument in popularity somewhat like Hollande