Plural of demagogue; multiple leaders who gain power by manipulating people's emotions and exploiting their fears and prejudices.
From demagogue + -s (standard plural). Demagogue is the most common modern English spelling of demagog, from Greek 'demagogos.' The -ues ending represents French influence on English spelling patterns during the Middle Ages.
Famous demagogues throughout history—from Cleon in ancient Athens to 20th-century populists—all share one trait: they thrive on crisis and division. Remarkably, demagogues often start by identifying a scapegoat (a minority group or foreign threat), then pose as the lone hero who'll 'fix' the problem.
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