Defining an artform is supporting the rights and power of the people in their struggle against the privileged elite? That's the only definition of populist (as adj.) I can find; do you mean that?

I think what is meant is that the artist cannot really define what he does as an art. There must be popular appreciation of the art to allow it to be defined as art, i.e. you cannot really have an artform until people who do not practice it, appreciate it.

When people who are not computer programmers can appreciate the art of computer programming, then you can define it as an art, not before.

I think of programming as something similar to carpentry. A craft capable of producing useful things that can also be appreciated as works of skill in their own right, and must be practiced regularly.