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Democracy Against Neoliberalism: Paradoxes, Limitations, Transcendence

Saad Filho, Alfredo; Ayers, Alison J.

Authors

Alfredo Saad Filho

Alison J. Ayers



Abstract

Procedural (formal, liberal, capitalist or bourgeois) democracy is the political form of neoliberalism, and it dominates political thought and state practice today. This modality of management of class relations is currently in crisis, expressed through the evacuation of politics, the erosion of civil liberties and the emergence of authoritarian governance. This article offers a Marxist critique of neoliberal democracy, concluding that neoliberalism is incompatible with the expansion of democracy into key areas of social life. This is expressed by six paradoxes of democracy. Conversely, the expansion of democracy can provide an effective lever for the abolition of neoliberalism. This approach is promising for three reasons: first, the expansion of democracy is valuable in itself. Second, the contradictions between economic and political democracy illuminate the limitations of contemporary capitalism. Third, struggles about the nature and content of democracy can throw into question the limitations of capitalism as a mode of production.

Citation

Saad Filho, A., & Ayers, A. J. (2015). Democracy Against Neoliberalism: Paradoxes, Limitations, Transcendence. Critical Sociology, 41(4-5), 597-618. https://doi.org/10.1177/0896920513507789

Journal Article Type Article
Online Publication Date Feb 3, 2014
Publication Date Jun 29, 2015
Deposit Date Jun 9, 2015
Journal Critical Sociology
Print ISSN 0896-9205
Electronic ISSN 1569-1632
Publisher SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 41
Issue 4-5
Pages 597-618
DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/0896920513507789
Additional Information Additional Information : Published online before print February 3, 2014.


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