[D66] Post-democracy

[René Oudeweg]

chatgpt:

The term **"post-democracy"** was first prominently coined and defined 
by British sociologist **Colin Crouch** in his influential 2000 book 
*"Coping with Post-Democracy"* and further developed in his 2004 work 
*"Post-Democracy."*


Context and Definition

In *Post-Democracy* (2004), Crouch argues that many Western societies, 
though still maintaining the **formal structures** of democracy — 
elections, freedom of speech, representative institutions — have moved 
into a **post-democratic condition**. In this state:

* Political elites are increasingly disconnected from the public.
* Elections still occur, but they are **dominated by public relations, 
media spectacle**, and corporate lobbying.
* The real decisions are made behind closed doors by a **technocratic 
and corporate elite**.
* Citizen participation is reduced to a **passive, consumer-like role**.

Intellectual Context

Crouch was responding to:

* The **decline of mass political party membership** since the 1980s.
* The **rise of neoliberalism** and the **privatization of public life**.
* The growing **influence of global capitalism** on national policymaking.
* A **hollowing-out of civic life**, similar to concerns raised by 
Robert Putnam (*Bowling Alone*, 2000).

He viewed post-democracy not as a sudden collapse, but as a **creeping 
transformation**, where democracy becomes an empty shell — its form 
preserved, its substance eroded.

Influence

Crouch’s concept of post-democracy has influenced:

* Political theory and sociology.
* Critical readings of the **EU**, the **corporate capture of state 
institutions**, and **technocratic governance**.
* Discourses on **populism**, **democratic backsliding**, and **crises 
of representation**.

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Related Concepts

* **“Managed democracy”** (Sheldon Wolin).
* **“Inverted totalitarianism”** (also Wolin).
* **“Illiberal democracy”** (Fareed Zakaria).
* **“Zombie democracy”**, a term used to describe democracy in 
appearance but not in substance.