Post-Marxists and "Young Marxists": Two Conflicting Visions of Radical Democracy. Issue 2 (3rd April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Deleixhe, Martin
• Is Part Of: Critical horizons. Volume 23:Issue 2(2022)
• Page Start: 157
• Page End: 171
• Publication Date: 2022-04-03
• Subjects: Democratic theory -- radical democracy -- Karl Marx -- Miguel Abensour -- Chantal Mouff; Critical theory -- Periodicals; 142.05
• DOI: 10.1080/14409917.2022.2081409
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1440-9917

Abstract

ABSTRACT : Radical democracy was, at its inception, a polemical alternative to the hegemony of Marxism over the political discourse of the Left. This is particularly striking in the work of two of its figureheads, Miguel Abensour and Chantal Mouffe. Whereas C. Mouffe advocates for radical democracy to break free from the rigidness and the determinacy of Marxism, M. Abensour goes back to the young Marx's plea for a " real democracy ". It results in radical democrats locating differently the radicality of their approaches. While post-Marxists emphasize the crucial and dynamic role of divisive conflicts within the political community and consequently grant the State a role as their arbitrator, "Young Marxists" emphasize a constant struggle against an abusive institutionalization of the State. As a result, they advocate for a form of political spontaneity that is complicated to reconcile with consideration of the political community's inner conflicts. The regrouping of disparate critical works under a single label makes us shortsighted to some of its internal contradictions.