An integrationist approach to democratic defence

This article critically examines social approaches to democratic defence and adds more nuance to a distinct variety first developed in Malkopoulou & Norman 2018. It argues that, in general, social approaches are a good fit to the phenomenon of populism, as they capture the social dynamics that animate populist parties. To support this claim, first I point at the wider political and socio-economic context that abutted the contemporary emergence of populism in Europe and the types of grievances mobilized by populists. Second, I examine two types of existing social responses to populism: the social politics of Mouffe and Berman, and the social policies put forward by Galston and Mounk. After highlighting the problems with each of them, thirdly, I develop a distinct integrationist theory of democratic defence inspired by the Weimar-era theorist Hermann Heller. Its two central premises are that (1) extreme parties should be included because they channel distinct social concerns, and (2) social inclusion is the key to creating citizens loyal to the democratic project. The article ends by suggesting relevant measures that range from ensuring socially even political representation to effacing existential insecurities and promoting a non-patronizing type of cultural integration.