Democratic elitism in Western philosophy of the second half of the twentieth century: political and legal ideas

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The article analyses the theory of democratic elitism that developed in Western philosophy in the second half of the twentieth century. The purpose is to assess the validity of this theory both regarding to the facts of social reality on which this theory is based, and regarding to the values that this theory proposes to implement. In the research the author uses the following methods: historical, comparative, normative, logical, systemic and hermeneutic analysis, synthesis; the methods of classification, inductive and deductive inference. Initially, the author identifies the ideological predecessors, as well as the main representatives of this theory, and set out their views. After that, the criticism of this theory is carried out. Three main lines of criticism are distinguished: the first is related to the groundless belief of democratic elitists that the elections allows people to control the ruling elite and forces it to take into account the interests of voters; the second is related to the unjustified disregard by democratic elitists of alternative ways of people's political participation. Finally, the third line of criticism is related to the fact that democratic elitists do not clearly formulate the social ideal (idea of justice), the means of achieving which they see democracy. As a result they justify the normative attractiveness of democracy only from an individual rather than a social perspective.

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Democracy, elections, models of democracy, elitism, justice

Короткий адрес: https://sciup.org/142245279

IDR: 142245279   |   DOI: 10.33184/vest-law-bsu-2025.25.3

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