Reluctant Radicalism?: On the Role of Democratic Violence in Liberal Politics

• In Event: Perspectives on Democracy

Abstract

The relationship between democratic violence and liberal politics is a challenging one, for the use of violence to pursue political objectives seems to contradict the core liberal notion that political opponents ought to treat one another as adversaries to be defeated rather than enemies to be destroyed. Indeed, I argue that democratic violence is associated with radical politics, and I show that the use of violence is dangerous because the more people appeal to violence, the more likely they will continue to appeal to violence. However, I also argue that there are circumstances where appeals to violence are normatively permissible. First, I argue that democrats may appeal to violence to resist incipient autocratization as a sort of last resort should more moderate approaches like militant democracy fail to successfully contain the rise of autocratic forces. Second, I argue that democrats may appeal to violence to help identify and redress undue social hierarchies. I note, however, that the persistence of undue social hierarchies is a longterm structural issue, and that overusing violence to redress those hierarchies is dangerous — even if the use of violence is necessary. Accordingly, I also demonstrate that the use of violence to redress undue social hierarchies should be appropriately calibrated, and that it must take place alongside more moderate practices whereby mainstream democrats work to persuade members of privileged groups to give up some of their power.

Author

• Eric Cheng, Nanyang Technological University