Undecidability, not consensus, is the condition of democratic freedom

Evidence

To the Kantian-inspired model of democracy which envisages its realization under the form of an ideal community of communication. as a task conceived as infinite. to be sure. but which has nevertheless a clearly defined shape, we should oppose a conception of democracy that. far from aiming at consensus and transparency, is suspicious of any attempt [0 impose a univocal model of democratic discussion. Aware of the dangers of rationalism. this is a view that does not dream of mastering or eliminating undecidability, for it recognizes that it is the very condition of possibility of decision and therefore of freedom and pluralism. — Chantal Mouffe, The Democratic Paradox, 150

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the reader’s project: pluralist ‘we’ must live with undecidability rather than try to overcome it through rationalist consensus. — connects to: Adversarial conflict among legitimate positions is democracy’s condition, not its danger — Chantal Mouffe, The Democratic Paradox, 338; Blocking democratic closure requires abandoning the ideal of stable consensus grounded in justice — Chantal Mouffe, The Democratic Paradox, 357; Undecidability haunts every decision and blocks assurance of justice — Chantal Mouffe, The Democratic Paradox, 355 (+8 more)
• DEEPTHINKING: The move that undecidability is the very condition of decision and freedom — not a defect to be eliminated by rational rules — is a dense, paradigm-level claim.

Broader Connections

• The incommensurability of universal and particular is the precondition for democracy #expands (0.82) — Stuart Hall, Essential Essays, Volume 2, 378
• Freedom as nondomination yields radical policies and democracy through contestability rather than consent #corroborates (0.80) — Philip Pettit, Republicanism, 35