How to think about liberal and democratic principles: three models of illiberal democracy

Abstract

This article aims to examine how to think about illiberal democracy which is a threat democracy is currently facing. In some detail, three models of democracy are analysed, which differ in how they understand the relationship between liberal and democratic principles, likewise demonstrating what conception they have of illiberal democracy. First of these is Schumpeter’s theory of competitive democracy, which seeks the liberal taming of democracy. Second, Schmitt’s argument that liberal and democratic principles are contradictory, and third, Urbinati’s theory of democracy, which acknowledges their inner coherence. Urbinati, however, rejects the concept of illiberal democracy as an oxymoron. Thus, this article also examines how illiberal democracy could be meaningfully and with some theoretical advantages considered, even within the framework of the internal coherence of both principles. In such a case, illiberal democracy will refer to the systematic effort to weaken liberal principles in the process of the formation of political will and public opinion in a democratic setting, thus bringing the regime at the edge of an authoritarian one. It shows the point where democracy ends.

Keywords

• illiberal democracy
• liberalism
• democratic theory
• joseph a. schumpeter
• carl schmitt
• nadia urbinati