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Limitations of democratic theories in modern state : a critical approach to liberal and Marxist perspectives

Limitations of democratic theories in modern state : a critical approach to liberal and Marxist perspectives
Limitations of democratic theories in modern state : a critical approach to liberal and Marxist perspectives

This thesis argues that it is intended as a critical approach to fundamental theoretical concepts of political throught used as presuppositions of the theory of democracy. The concepts of state, society and power are analysed in liberalism and Marxism in order to examine the relations between ideology and society and society and politics.

Liberalism and Marxism are analysed as philosophical constructions which conceive democracy as a principle which legitimizes and rationalizes structures, institutions and social relations of given social formations. The concept of democracy is analysed in terms of relations between state and society, seen as structural determinations and fields of exercise of political power. These are reflected in the relations of individuals as members of these structures.

This thesis compares liberal and Marxist concepts of democracy, presenting it as a principle which legitimises the social process. In practical terms the liberal and Soviet processes of democratization of social conditions are constituted. These models enlist democracy in the administrative sphere and legitimise it as a sphere of rational scientific knowledge applied to the technical problem of society.

It is also argued that democracy, as an ideological process, is connected with contradictory social relations which reveal its limits in the modern state. The limits of democracy are understood to be related to actual historical conditions which do not correspond to the theoretical presuppositions of existing theories. Ultimately, the thesis proposes the reconstruction of the Marxist theory of democracy through the theory of democratic socialism.

University of Southampton
Marouga, Aspasia
1793a947-baaa-4702-815d-5d5b37ac81be
Marouga, Aspasia
1793a947-baaa-4702-815d-5d5b37ac81be

Marouga, Aspasia (1993) Limitations of democratic theories in modern state : a critical approach to liberal and Marxist perspectives. University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.

Record type: Thesis (Doctoral)

Abstract

This thesis argues that it is intended as a critical approach to fundamental theoretical concepts of political throught used as presuppositions of the theory of democracy. The concepts of state, society and power are analysed in liberalism and Marxism in order to examine the relations between ideology and society and society and politics.

Liberalism and Marxism are analysed as philosophical constructions which conceive democracy as a principle which legitimizes and rationalizes structures, institutions and social relations of given social formations. The concept of democracy is analysed in terms of relations between state and society, seen as structural determinations and fields of exercise of political power. These are reflected in the relations of individuals as members of these structures.

This thesis compares liberal and Marxist concepts of democracy, presenting it as a principle which legitimises the social process. In practical terms the liberal and Soviet processes of democratization of social conditions are constituted. These models enlist democracy in the administrative sphere and legitimise it as a sphere of rational scientific knowledge applied to the technical problem of society.

It is also argued that democracy, as an ideological process, is connected with contradictory social relations which reveal its limits in the modern state. The limits of democracy are understood to be related to actual historical conditions which do not correspond to the theoretical presuppositions of existing theories. Ultimately, the thesis proposes the reconstruction of the Marxist theory of democracy through the theory of democratic socialism.

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Published date: 1993

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 462548
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/462548
PURE UUID: 9187b7d0-2c06-45f1-919d-4a3c9769ba89

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Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 19:19
Last modified: 23 Jul 2022 01:07

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Contributors

Author: Aspasia Marouga

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