Jan-Werner Müller's book *What is Populism?* offers a concise and insightful analysis of populism, identifying it as a "moralistic imagination of politics" that pits a morally pure and unified people against corrupt elites. Müller argues that populists are anti-pluralist and often resort to anti-democratic means to restore the people's will. He provides examples of historical and contemporary populists, such as Viktor Orbán, Hugo Chávez, and Donald Trump. However, Müller's diagnosis of the conditions favorable to populism and his suggestions for a better, non-populist politics are criticized as weak and potentially counterproductive. The book also addresses the challenge of explaining populism's recent success, attributing it to various factors such as socioeconomic exclusion and cultural change. While Müller's strict definition of populism is persuasive, his broader diagnoses and solutions are seen as inadequate and potentially reinforcing the very problems he aims to address. The review concludes that Müller's approach is limited by his political horizon, which is restricted to liberal democratic capitalism, and that his solutions may not effectively address the deeper issues underlying populism.Jan-Werner Müller's book *What is Populism?* offers a concise and insightful analysis of populism, identifying it as a "moralistic imagination of politics" that pits a morally pure and unified people against corrupt elites. Müller argues that populists are anti-pluralist and often resort to anti-democratic means to restore the people's will. He provides examples of historical and contemporary populists, such as Viktor Orbán, Hugo Chávez, and Donald Trump. However, Müller's diagnosis of the conditions favorable to populism and his suggestions for a better, non-populist politics are criticized as weak and potentially counterproductive. The book also addresses the challenge of explaining populism's recent success, attributing it to various factors such as socioeconomic exclusion and cultural change. While Müller's strict definition of populism is persuasive, his broader diagnoses and solutions are seen as inadequate and potentially reinforcing the very problems he aims to address. The review concludes that Müller's approach is limited by his political horizon, which is restricted to liberal democratic capitalism, and that his solutions may not effectively address the deeper issues underlying populism.