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Populism, as a general belief system, is thought to combine an idealistic view of “the people,” a cynical view of “the elites” as hopelessly corrupt, and a Manichean conception of “good” versus “evil.” Understood in this way, it stands to reason that certain psychological variables would predict the endorsement of populist attitudes, even after adjusting for demographic factors. Studies show that authoritarianism, conscientiousness, and openness are positively associated with support for populism in general, whereas system justification, agreeableness, and neuroticism are negatively associated with support for populism in general. In contexts as diverse as France, Germany, and the UK, we find that system justification, conceptualized as a motivation to defend and bolster the societal status quo, is associated with decreased support for populist parties on the right and left—even for respondents who are high in economic …