A Defence of Sceptical Authoritarianism

Brooks, Thom

Abstract

Vittorio Bufacchi argued in this journal that democracy was under threat from two extreme philosophical positions: totalitarianism and nihilism. Sandwiched between these polarities is liberal democracy. Bufacchi believes that one of liberal democracy's distinctive properties is an endorsement of scepticism, which he then attempts to illuminate. In contrast, this article will argue that an authoritarian government bound by a constitution permitting civil liberties might also adopt political scepticism. This removes the aforementioned distinctiveness of liberal democracy in this regard and, in addition, leads us toward a rethinking of the possibility of a more plausible consideration of democracy.

Citation

Brooks, T. (2002). A Defence of Sceptical Authoritarianism. Politics, 22(3), 152-162. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9256.00170

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: 2002
• Deposit Date: Apr 26, 2013
• Journal: Politics
• Print ISSN: 0263-3957
• Electronic ISSN: 1467-9256
• Publisher: Political Studies Association
• Volume: 22
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 152-162
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9256.00170
• Keywords: democracy, liberalism, Plato, rights, Schumpeter, socialism, totalitarianism
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1455392