Democracy, Disagreement and the Authoritarian Temptation

A troubling paradox now exists in many Western democracies. Never before has there been so much talk about diversity, pluralism, tolerance and freedom. Yet perhaps never has such a large part of the population felt so reluctant to express itself, convinced that it is no longer listened to, or even morally discredited when expressing a point of view outside mainstream discourse. That is probably where the problem begins.

Democracy is not only about elections. It is also based on a rule much more difficult to respect: accepting that others can think differently without being considered illegitimate. But something has gradually deteriorated. Part of the public debate seems to have replaced the confrontation of ideas with a moral confrontation. It is no longer enough to tell an opponent, “You are wrong.” He may instead be told that he is bad, backward, ignorant or unworthy of being heard.

It is this evolution that is referred to, perhaps awkwardly, by the French expression bien-pensance. The problem is obviously not the defense of equality, the fight against discrimination, inclusion or minority rights. These are perfectly legitimate principles in a liberal democracy. The danger arises when these values cease to be open to debate in the way they are implemented and become moral truths to which everyone is expected to adhere. Because a democracy in which certain opinions become socially impossible to express, even when they remain perfectly legal, is already beginning to undermine its own pluralism.

The feeling of no longer being represented

Alongside this crisis of debate, another divide has emerged: a growing distance between certain elites and parts of the population. Political, media, economic and academic elites have become increasingly internationalized. They often attended similar........

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