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Common Democracy

Political Representation beyond Representative Democracy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2026

Alexandros Kioupkiolis
Alexandros Kioupkiolis*
Affiliation:
Aristotle University
*
alkioup@polsci.auth.gr
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Abstract:

At a time when representative democracies are in deep crisis, this article examines the debate over representation as it appears in contemporary Marxist and poststructuralist political thought. The article discusses, more specifically, Ernesto Laclau’s defense of political representation and pits this against Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri’s vision of an “absolute democracy” beyond representation, in order to chart a path between and beyond both contrasting positions. The crux of the argument is that in participatory democracies political governance becomes a common affair: a public good accessible to all members of a community on the basis of equality. Such a democratic regime contrasts with both representative democracies, where the assembled demos is excluded from any effective participation in the everyday exercise of major political power, as well as direct democracy, where the collective sovereign would be fully present to itself, total and undivided. Common political representation is open to all, inclusive, participatory, and accountable.

Keywords

Antonio NegricommonsdemocracyErnesto LaclauhegemonyMichael Hardtparticipationrepresentation

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Democratic Theory , Volume 4 , Issue 1 , June 2017 , pp. 35 - 58
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2017

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