Tag: Liberalism

Stable to the Point of Dysfunction: Why the Liberal System Is Here to Stay (and frustrate us indefinitely)

I have a new chapter out in a new edited volume, Postliberalism: A Transatlantic Debate, published by Suhrkamp. Veith Selk and Julian Nicolai Hofmann edited the book, which has been published entirely in German. They have made sure it contains a genuine diversity of viewpoints, with chapters by Stefan Borg, Annelein de Dijn, Samuel Moyn, Nadia Urbinati, Philip Manow, Claudia Weisner, Christopher Daase, Thomas Biebricher, Adrian Pabst, Patrick Deneen, Anton Jäger, Dirk Jörke, Oliver Eberl, Ingolfur Blühdorn, Elif Özmen, Jan-Werner Müller, Fabio Wolkenstein, and Andrew Scerri. The book is available for €28 via Suhrkamp’s own website and Amazon.

My chapter makes the provocative argument that liberalism renews itself by feeding on the alternatives to it. The problems that have emerged with liberalism have emerged precisely because the alternatives are in such a sorry state. If the opponents of liberalism cannot credibly threaten to overcome liberalism, liberal institutions become excessively stable. I characterize postliberalism as a demand by the critics of liberalism to be taken seriously. But without the political capacity to threaten liberalism, postliberalism makes toothless demands; it issues bluffs that can be called. Beneath the bluster, what I call “postliberal liberalism” remains bound to operate within liberal institutions, never escaping them. I therefore suggest postliberalism is a kind of liberal democratic excrement rather than a true alternative. I make this point explicitly:

the question is not “how long can democracy hold out against authoritarianism,” it is “how long can democracy swim in its own filth?”

If you read German, I hope you’ll consider the book! Maybe, if it does well enough, Suhrkamp will partner with translators, and the chapter will appear in additional languages.

Legitimacy in Liberal Democracies Affordable Paperback Release

My second book, Legitimacy in Liberal Democracies, has been released today in paperback. It’s available for under $25 (under £20). You can get it from the publisher:

https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-legitimacy-in-liberal-democracies.html

Or you can get it from Amazon: https://a.co/d/0dtSVtsC

This is, in my view, the best thing I have made, at the most affordable price we are likely to see for the foreseeable future. If it does well, I am hopeful that I will be able to publish more affordable books.

The US and UK as Embedded Democracies

I have a new post out for Edinburgh University Press’ blog on my new book, Legitimacy in Liberal Democracies. There’s no paywall. You can read it here: https://euppublishingblog.com/2025/01/22/us-uk-embedded-democracies/

It offers a short introduction to the concept of an “embedded democracy,” which plays a central role in the new book. That book is available here: https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-legitimacy-in-liberal-democracies.html

Equality of Political Participation versus Equality of Political Capabilities: A Fundamental Dilemma at the Heart of Democratic Theory

I’ve written a piece for Isonomia on the tension between the democratic commitment to ensuring all citizens are able to participate in politics and the worry that some citizens are more capable of participating effectively than others. It’s a bit of a history of thought piece, albeit a bit zoomed out. I discuss ancient perspectives, 18th and 19th century liberal views, Marxist critiques, and 20th century attempts to bring these different commitments together. It was a really fun piece to write, and I hope it’s fun to read. There’s no paywall. You can read it here:

https://isonomiaquarterly.com/archive/volume-1-issue-1/the-heart-of-isonomia/

Also, if you haven’t heard, I have a book out. If you want to read it, the best deal is the paperback, available here: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-28210-2