It is this feature of populism – the idea that the people want only one thing, and that only true representatives can give it to them – that explains a symmetry (often evoked, but seldom spelled out) between populism and technocratic government. Just as technocrats assume that there is only one right solution to every policy challenge – hence political debate is not necessary – so, for populists, the people have one, and only one, uncorrupted will.
正是民粹主义的这种特点——相信民众只有一种愿望，且只有唯一的真正代表可以实现他们这个愿望——能够解释民粹主义和技术官僚政府间（常被提起，但却鲜有说明）的近似之处。这就像技术官僚认为政策挑战只有一种正确的解决方式，因此政治辩论根本就毫无必要。因此在民粹主义者看来，民众有且只有一个纯洁的愿望。而自由民主的假设则正好相反：要容忍不同观点和不同的政治选择。