A fully realized pluralist democracy would dissolve itself

Evidence

To believe that a final resolution of conRicts is eventually possible - even if it is seen as an asymptotic approach to the regulative idea of a rational consensus - far from providing the necessary horizon of the democratic project, is something that puts it at risk. Indeed, such an illusion carries implicidy the desire for a reconciled society where pluralism would have been superseded. When it is conceived in such a way, pluralist democracy becomes a ‘self-refuting ideal’ because the very moment of its realization would coincide with its disintegration. — Chantal Mouffe, The Democratic Paradox, 140

Categorization

• DEEPTHINKING: The self-refuting ideal formulation — perfect pluralist realization coincides with disintegration — is the chapter’s destabilizing paradox, dense enough for long reflection.
• XREF: Feeds the reader’s question about whether a non-exclusionary pluralist we is conceivable: the answer gestured at is no, because closure is what constitutes it. — connects to: A genuine world economy would dissolve the nation state — Herbert Marcuse, One-Dimensional Man: Studies in the…, 241; Democracy can survive structurally while losing its animating meaning. — Russell Muirhead and Nancy L. Rosenblum, A Lot of People Are Saying: The New…, 381; Liberal World Government would eliminate authentic politics among peoples (+2 more)
• recurring: this claim recurs 3 times within its source

Broader Connections

• A genuine world economy would dissolve the nation state #corroborates (0.75) — Herbert Marcuse, One-Dimensional Man, 241
• Liberal World Government would eliminate authentic politics among peoples #corroborates (0.75)
• Democracy can survive structurally while losing its animating meaning. #expands (0.70) — Russell Muirhead and Nancy L. Rosenblum, A Lot of People Are Saying, 381