Testing Democracy
Horizons No. 149
The fact that everyone can have their say is at the heart of democracy. Yet this opportunity can be abused to secure one’s own position. The opposing side is belittled, and emotional slogans can lead to total polarisation. The group holding different views is seen merely as an enemy, no longer as part of the demos that shares in decision-making. Fortunately, democracies can also function differently, much like typical discourse in the humanities: arguments and counter-arguments are examined. Sometimes a consensus emerges. This lasts until someone puts forward better arguments and the consensus has to be renegotiated. In this way, knowledge remains in a state of constant flux.
- “We haven’t yet found the perfect form of democracy”
- Eight creative ideas for more democracy
- Democratic participation doesn’t always promote equality
- Science, democracy, and the terms of engagement
- Image series: The flat share as an allegory for the nation state
