Democracy beyond liberalism

for a "modes de vie" politic

Mark Hunyadi

pp. 219-231

in: Mauro Magatti (ed), The crisis conundrum, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2017

Abstract

The liberal ethic is a driver of material reproduction in OECD countries and the ethic of respecting individual rights hides from people the impossibility of criticising the tyranny of modes de vie—in other words, the durable expectations imposed on people by the system. This individualist ethic has its origin in the liberal dogma of separation between public and private spheres and it can create a fair but pathologic society. However, this chapter shows that civil society can appropriate its democratic voice on essential issues, like modes de vie, by an institution of the common.