Beyond Substantive Moral Values and Self-Correction: Rethinking the Legitimacy of Militant Democracy

Democracies face a crisis of self-preservation: how to defend against internal threats without sacrificing core values? This thesis explores militant democracy, a theory allowing limitations on freedoms to safeguard the system. While justifications exist that focus on democratic processes or core values, this thesis argues that the latter struggles with defining those values objectively. Can a democracy claim moral superiority without universal moral truths? Additionally, Rijpkema's (2018) concept of democracy as self-correction, another justification for militant democracy, remains unexamined. This research addresses these gaps by analyzing the limitations of defining core substantive democratic values and the challenges posed by the absence of objective morality. The Böckenförde Dictum will be used to support my argument. Furthermore, it provides a critical analysis of Rijpkema's theory. By examining these underexplored aspects, this thesis aims to contribute to a more nuanced...Show moreDemocracies face a crisis of self-preservation: how to defend against internal threats without sacrificing core values? This thesis explores militant democracy, a theory allowing limitations on freedoms to safeguard the system. While justifications exist that focus on democratic processes or core values, this thesis argues that the latter struggles with defining those values objectively. Can a democracy claim moral superiority without universal moral truths? Additionally, Rijpkema's (2018) concept of democracy as self-correction, another justification for militant democracy, remains unexamined. This research addresses these gaps by analyzing the limitations of defining core substantive democratic values and the challenges posed by the absence of objective morality. The Böckenförde Dictum will be used to support my argument. Furthermore, it provides a critical analysis of Rijpkema's theory. By examining these underexplored aspects, this thesis aims to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the tension between militant democracy and core democratic principles. Ultimately, it argues that there is an inherent contradiction within militant democracy, as actions against non-violent anti-democratic voices can contradict the will of the people, the very essence of democracy.Show less

Leiden University Student Repository

Documents

In Collections

Beyond Substantive Moral Values and Self-Correction: Rethinking the Legitimacy of Militant Democracy