On militant democracy’s institutional conservatism
(2023) In Philosophy and Social Criticism- Abstract
This article critically reconstructs militant democracy’s ‘institutional conservatism’, a theoretical preference for institutions that restrain transformation. It offers two arguments, one historical and one normative. Firstly, it traces a historical development from a substantive to a procedural version of institutional conservatism from the traditional militant democratic thought of Schmitt, Loewenstein and Popper to the contemporary militant democratic theories of Kirshner and Rijpkema. Substantive institutional conservatisms theorize institutions that hinder transformation of the existing order; procedural conservatisms encourage transformation but contain and limit it within the boundaries of existing institutions. Secondly, the... (More)
This article critically reconstructs militant democracy’s ‘institutional conservatism’, a theoretical preference for institutions that restrain transformation. It offers two arguments, one historical and one normative. Firstly, it traces a historical development from a substantive to a procedural version of institutional conservatism from the traditional militant democratic thought of Schmitt, Loewenstein and Popper to the contemporary militant democratic theories of Kirshner and Rijpkema. Substantive institutional conservatisms theorize institutions that hinder transformation of the existing order; procedural conservatisms encourage transformation but contain and limit it within the boundaries of existing institutions. Secondly, the article uses resources internal to this historical reconstruction to make the normative case that even the procedural version of institutional conservatism, which characterizes contemporary theories of militant democracy, is problematic from a democratic perspective. The reason for this is that it unjustifiably restricts fundamental democratic change to existing institutions. In conclusion, the article calls for further engagement with modes of democratic defence that do not limit the possibility of radical democratic change but nevertheless enable the protection of democratic institutions against authoritarian regression.
(Less)
- author
- Nitzschner, Patrick LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2023
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- in press
- subject
- keywords
- democratic theory, democratic transformation, institutional conservatism, militant democracy, reconstruction
- in
- Philosophy and Social Criticism
- publisher
- SAGE Publications
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85147766716
- ISSN
- 0191-4537
- DOI
- 10.1177/01914537221150462
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- f5bba48c-9f19-44a7-ba7e-0af419180c3e
- date added to LUP
- 2023-02-23 15:41:13
- date last changed
- 2023-02-23 15:41:13
@article{f5bba48c-9f19-44a7-ba7e-0af419180c3e,
abstract = {{<p>This article critically reconstructs militant democracy’s ‘institutional conservatism’, a theoretical preference for institutions that restrain transformation. It offers two arguments, one historical and one normative. Firstly, it traces a historical development from a substantive to a procedural version of institutional conservatism from the traditional militant democratic thought of Schmitt, Loewenstein and Popper to the contemporary militant democratic theories of Kirshner and Rijpkema. Substantive institutional conservatisms theorize institutions that hinder transformation of the existing order; procedural conservatisms encourage transformation but contain and limit it within the boundaries of existing institutions. Secondly, the article uses resources internal to this historical reconstruction to make the normative case that even the procedural version of institutional conservatism, which characterizes contemporary theories of militant democracy, is problematic from a democratic perspective. The reason for this is that it unjustifiably restricts fundamental democratic change to existing institutions. In conclusion, the article calls for further engagement with modes of democratic defence that do not limit the possibility of radical democratic change but nevertheless enable the protection of democratic institutions against authoritarian regression.</p>}},
author = {{Nitzschner, Patrick}},
issn = {{0191-4537}},
keywords = {{democratic theory; democratic transformation; institutional conservatism; militant democracy; reconstruction}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{SAGE Publications}},
series = {{Philosophy and Social Criticism}},
title = {{On militant democracy’s institutional conservatism}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/01914537221150462}},
doi = {{10.1177/01914537221150462}},
year = {{2023}},
}