Compromise: Democratic Ideals and Political Realities

Abstract

Modern society is characterized by disagreement and pluralism, and it is largely this fact that makes politics necessary. In the contemporary world, political institutions and laws must coordinate the actions of millions of people who disagree at many different levels. When we agree on fundamental issues, e.g. human rights, we disagree on which institutions at the national and international level ought to protect them. A political theory that aims to be realistic in terms of beginning from the fact of disagreement cannot merely see disagreement as a result of human self-interest, nor should it see disagreement merely as a matter of disagreement on ends or justice. Citizens disagree in good faith at many different levels – and so do political theorists and philosophers. If disagreement makes politics necessary, what makes it possible? Are there ways of coming to agreement that all can (or that all ought to) accept? Are democratic comprises uniquely and properly tailored to deal with a political reality characterized by disagreement? Is compromise formation equally valid at all the levels and for all forms of disagreement? Often, political compromises are considered a non-ideal form of political decision-making. Considering political compromises as quintessential and inherently valuable in democratic decision-making, the ambition is to provide a deeper understanding and evaluation of political compromise-formation. Beginning from the fact of disagreement and the need for compromise formation, the panel contributes to contemporary debates on how to do normative political theory that takes the realities of politics seriously. The overall aim is to gain a better understanding of the interplay of the formulation and promotion of ideals, on the one hand, and a political reality characterized by disagreement and the need for compromise, on the other hand.

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