(Un-)Democratising Democracy

Democracy versus democracy – illiberal versus liberal, direct versus representative democracy, maybe even »the people vs. democracy«? It seems as though democracy has never been as contested as it is today, while, at the same time, what it leads to has never been as contested either. Everyone is competing in its name and accuses their adversary of being an opponent of democracy.

Nowadays, democracy’s only threat stems from itself. Philip Manow presents the theory that our situation is characterised by the simultaneous democratization and undemocratization of democracy: It is the radical broadening of opportunities for participation that lies at the centre of the crisis of political representation. This crisis, however, transforms the fight within democracy into a fight about democracy – and that cannot be conducted in a democratic manner.

»[Manow's] analysis is well thought out and exhaustively substantiated and it provides a both extensive and convincing interpretation of the political present.« Karsten Fischer, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

»A description of the democratically un-democraticised present that is a presicse as it is dense.« Jens Bisky, Süddeutsche Zeitung

»an […] enlightening essay« Mark Siemons, Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung

»As is appropriate for a good essay, Manow’s text contains a lot of stimulating but also scandalous ideas. He asks more questions than he gives ansers. But they are the right questions ...« Thomas Wagner, der Freitag

»Political theorist Philip Manow presents a profound, democracy-theoretical intellectual fireworks on the endangerment of democracy.« Tom Wohlfahrth, taz. die tageszeitung

»As in his last book […] he shines for long stretches with a cool analytical materialism.« Jens Balzer, Deutschlandfunk Kultur

»Manow‘s text is also and predominantly a call for an open culture of debate, which has been partially sedated in society as a whole in the past and seems to have gone off the rails to an extent. The time for this call couldn’t be more appropriate.« Mirko Weber, Stuttgarter Zeitung

»An indispensable compulsory read […] for staunch democrats.« Paul Steinhardt, Makroskop