Avant-propos. Les nouveaux défis de la démocratie

• Main Author: Michel Wieviorka
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Casa de Velázquez 2017-11-01
• Series: Mélanges de la Casa de Velázquez
• Subjects: democracy; inequality; minorities; representation; sovereignty; terrorism
• Online Access: http://journals.openedition.org/mcv/7671

During the Cold War, democracy was envisaged essentially as the opposite of communism or totalitarianism, ostensible requiring no great discussion. In 1989, Francis Fukuyama suddenly asserted that the disappearance of the Wall spelled «the end of History», the triumph of democracy (and the market). Today, however, it must be admitted that that it is not so simple—there are numerous major challenges that democracy cannot resolve either completely or readily. This applies to the economy (unemployment, injustice, inequality), national identities and cultural differences , or again measures sought by executive powers whenever the nation and the body politic are seriously threatened (by terrorism, for instance).