Erasure of left-right distinction harms rather than advances democracy

Evidence

The political situation just described. characterized by the celebration of the values of a consensual politics of the centre. is what informs my theoretical questioning. This is why 1 put special emphasis on the negative consequences of envisaging the ideal of democracy as the realization of a ‘rational consensus’ and on the concomitant illusion that left and right have ceased to be pertinent categories for democratic politics. I am convinced. contrary to the claims of third way theorists. that the blurring of the frontiers between left and right. far from being an advance in a democratic direction. is jeopardizing the future of democracy. — Chantal Mouffe, The Democratic Paradox, 46

Categorization

• QUESTION: This central claim frames the book; worth tracking how Mouffe defends the left-right frontier’s necessity against third-way consensus politics.
• XREF: connects to: Democracy depends on recognizing politically unequal differences — David Theo Goldberg, John Solomos, A Companion to Racial and Ethnic Studies, 2692; Multiculturalism debates transcend and subvert traditional left-right divides; Giddens grounded third-way politics on reflexivity replacing left-right class antagonism — Chantal Mouffe, The Democratic Paradox, 486 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Multiculturalism debates transcend and subvert traditional left-right divides #complicates (0.74)
• Democracy depends on recognizing politically unequal differences #corroborates (0.72) — David Theo Goldberg, John Solomos, A Companion to Racial and Ethnic Studies, 2692