Recognition against Autocratization

The V-Dem’s Democracy Report 2024 identifies 42 countries that are currently facing episodes of autocratization. The report states that Hungary ranks first place among those 42 ongoing episodes of autocratization. Considered it as a paradigmatic case of autocratization, Orbán and his Fidesz party on power are eroding liberal institutions and challenging freedom of expression, censoring the media and repressing civil society organizations, academics and cultural organizations. Following a populist well known strategy, they advocate those measures as an adequate response to a threat, a common enemy, a potential danger to the country and its own identity. Taking in due account the enlightenment provided by authors such as, Hegel, Fichte, Martin Buber, Emmanuel Levinas, Charles Taylor and Axel Honneth, in what may be concerned to politically communities, there is a need for recognition, especially of their social minorities. Those minorities are of various kinds: economic status or social class, cultural, religious, ethnic, linguistic, gender, among others, and all of them struggle for the recognition of their particular identity. If, on a social level, political participation is an essential aspect of the formation of any identity, then, those minorities need to be recognized and able affirm their uniqueness at a political level. Our aim is to demonstrate that an intersubjective recognition that promotes or contributes to the establishment of an authentic political community is needed. If not, then forms of autocratization arise and erode democratic principles. To do it, we will ground our thesis on empirical evidence: (1) confront examples of countries that are facing process of autocratization and the rights they ascribe to minorities; (2) compare the results whit those manifested by “healthy” democracies. We will show that reinforcing the political process of minorities recognition is a key factor not only for the pacification of our multicultural societies, but also to prevent autocratic deviations to democracy.