The nocturnal body of democracies

Abstract

This article engages with the contemporary debate about de-democratization and authoritarianism, arguing that these phenomena cannot be properly understood without discussing the roots of modern democracy in colonial capitalism. In the first half of the twentieth century, some voices in social theory drew attention to possibilities for regression inscribed in Western civilization. Nonetheless, the prevailing tone of the postwar era was one of optimism regarding democracy, democratization and democratic consolidation. It was only more recently that discussions about regressive tendencies were placed on the table once again. Though we consider that these analyses have helped to shed light on such tendencies, we argue that they overlook the fact that the bright side of democracy – proudly exhibited in the core countries – was achieved at the cost of a concealed side, which has now returned to haunt the world.