> Populism is democracy.

Wrong. A democracy, at least a functioning and legitimate one, is not judged by enacting the will of the majority, but by protecting the rights of the minority.

A constitutional democracy protects its minorities. A pure democracy doesn't, but we haven't had one of those for well over 2000 years.

I disagree. Populism is too general a term, but to the extent they exist in the US they are decidedly opposed to democracy.

What's that HL Mencken quote?

Something to the effect of "Democracy is the idea that the common man knows what he wants, and deserves to get it, good and hard."

If a group of people, in a free and fair election, decide to elect in radical, repressive Islamists, is that not democracy functioning as intended?

That democracy was dead before it started. A democracy cannot survive without broad agreement in the value of the individual. That is a failure mode of democracy that can be brought about via poor civics education. This is why universal public education is so critical to a functioning democracy.

The majority does get its way. That's the natural order of things, not an esoteric idea.

Allowing everyone else to participate and weigh the totality of needs and wants is what makes democracy different.