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Provocateur vs Demagogue - What's the difference?

provocateur | demagogue |

As nouns the difference between provocateur and demagogue

is that provocateur is one who engages in provocative behavior while demagogue is (historical) a leader of the people.

As a verb demagogue is

(intransitive|and|transitive) to speak or act in the manner of a demagogue; to speak about (an issue) in the manner of a demagogue.

provocateur

English

(Agent provocateur)

Noun

(en noun)
  • One who engages in provocative behavior.
  • * {{quote-news, 2007, February 28, Daniel J. Wakin, City Opera Lures Director From Paris, New York Times citation
  • , passage=Gerard Mortier, an iconoclastic impresario and one of the opera world’s premier provocateurs , will become general manager and artistic director of the New York City Opera in 2009.}}
  • An undercover agent who incites suspected persons to partake in or commit criminal acts.
  • demagogue

    English

    Alternative forms

    * demagog

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (historical) A leader of the people.
  • (pejorative) A political orator or leader who gains favor by pandering to or exciting the passions and prejudices of the audience rather than by using rational argument.
  • * 1938 , , 424 BC, tr. O'Neill , lines 191-193,
  • A demagogue must be neither an educated nor an honest man; he has to be an ignoramus and a rogue.
  • * 1949 , , p. ix,
  • If the majority of our fellow-citizens are more susceptible to the slogans of fear and race hatred than to those of peaceful accommodation and mutual respect among human beings, our political liberties remain at the mercy of any eloquent and unscrupulous demagogue .
  • * 2004 December 4, , Why It’s Time to Worry]'', [[w:Newsweek, Newsweek],
  • It is true that America has a paranoid streak in its politics, and demagogues come along from time to time to feed on anger and resentment.

    Derived terms

    * demagogic * demagogical * demagogism * demagogy * demagoguery

    Verb

    (demagogu)
  • (intransitive, and, transitive) To speak or act in the manner of a demagogue; to speak about (an issue) in the manner of a demagogue.
  • * '', quoted in 1970 , Richard B. Henderson, ''Maury Maverick: A Political Biography , page 183,
  • I never demagogued on our serious questions and stood for civil liberties.
  • * 1995 , Richard J. Carroll, An Economic Record of Presidential Performance: From Truman to Bush , page 171,
  • On the subject of foreign aid, although it is a relatively unimportant economic category, it is an area of expenditure that has frequently been demagogued and has been a favorite target of politicians during tough times in the domestic economy.
  • * 2006 , Patrick Hynes, In Defense of the Religious Right , page 194,
  • Talk to anyone with half a brain (and at least half a heart) and they will tell you, regardless of their position, that this is an issue to be weighed , not demagogued .