Democracy in Crisis: Tocqueville's Theory of Democracy and its Relevance in the Age of (Global) De-Democratization

Liberal democracy is in crisis worldwide. Not only in comparatively young democracies but also in time-honored ones such as the US, the foundations of liberal, constitutional democracy are crumbling.
As early as the 19th century, Tocqueville presented a groundbreaking theory of democracy, examining both its bright and dark sides as a form of society and government in America and Europe. While current political theory – especially radical democratic theory – focuses on criticism of liberal democracy and its swan song, we aim to revive Tocqueville’s theory of democracy and use it in four systematic panels to ask whether liberal democracy can be saved rather than abandoned.

Our goal is to build a bridge between an analysis of the current phenomena of the democratic crisis and the reconstruction of the central elements of Tocqueville’s theory. 

To attend the conference, please send an email to ricarda.wuensch@ur.de by May 15, 2025.