Democracy and discontent. Political confllict in an age of individualism

Democracy, although firmly established, is faced with protests and discontent throughout the Western world. This research investigates this discontent as the tension between democratic ideals (freedom, equality) on the one hand, and actual and eradicable social inequalities on the other hand. More specifically, it will explore the potential of this tension to transform society and politics. A number of political theories have been concerned with a similar project, but the theoretical framework of contemporary French liberalism is the most promising – and yet underutilized – way to analyze this tension. French liberalism addresses the threats to democracy posed by two salient features of contemporary society, namely individualism and the demise of the nation state. These developments, so they argue, are harmful because they make it impossible for politics to stage conflict. Nevertheless, I argue that in repudiating individualism and adhering to the nation state, contemporary French liberals loose sight of an important assumption that was articulated by nineteenth century French liberals: it is impossible to return to an earlier form of society and government, and social change requires the search for a new government. To apply this to contemporary situation implies that we need to reassess the threat of individualism and non-state government for democracy, and instead explore under what conditions these developments are advantageous to democracy.