The Demon in Democracy: Totalitarian Temptations in Free Societies
by Ryszard Legutko
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Ryszard Legutko lived and suffered under communism for decades-and he fought with the Polish ant-communist movement to abolish it. Having lived for two decades under a liberal democracy, however, he has discovered that these two political systems have a lot more in common than one might think. They both stem from the same historical roots in early modernity, and accept similar presuppositions about history, society, religion, politics, culture, and human nature. In The Demon in Democracy, show more Legutko explores the shared objectives between these two political systems, and explains how liberal democracy has over time lurched towards the same goals as communism, albeit without Soviet-style brutality. Both systems, says Legutko, reduce human nature to that of the common man, who is led to believe himself liberated from the obligations of the past. Both the communist man and the liberal democratic man refuse to admit that there exists anything of value outside the political systems to which they pledged their loyalty. And both systems refuse to undertake any critical examination of their ideological prejudices. show lessTags
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I disagree with the author on politics and people like him are the reason I escaped Poland but he has a very good point about liberal democracy become closer and closer in method of operation to communism. Like communism liberal democracy allows only one "correct" view, requires people to perform self criticism at the first hint of unauthorised opinions and generally doesn't suffer any kind of challenge.
The most frightening and important book I’ve ever read.
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Author Information
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Ryszard Legutko is a professor of philosophy at Jagellonian University in Krakow, Poland, specializing in ancient philosophy and political theory. His most recent book is on the philosophy of Socrates. He has served as the Minister of Education, Secretary of State in the Chancellery of the late President Lech Kaczynski, and Deputy Speaker of the show more Senate and is active in anti-communist movement in Poland. He is currently a Member of the European Parliament, Chairman of the Parliamentary Group of European Conservatives and Reformists, and a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. show less
Work Relationships
Is an abridged version of
Common Knowledge
- Disambiguation notice
- The Demon in Democracy is a shortened version of "Triumf průměrného člověka".
Classifications
- Genres
- Politics and Government, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction, Philosophy, History
- DDC/MDS
- 321.8 — Social sciences Political science Systems of governments and states Democratic government [formerly : Republic]
- LCC
- JC423 .L43413 — Political Science Political theory Political theory. The state. Theories of the state Forms of the state
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 171
- Popularity
- 189,515
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (4.10)
- Languages
- English, French, German, Polish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 10
- ASINs
- 3
