Reactionary Democracy: How Racism and the Populist Far Right Became Mainstream

by Aurélien Mondon, Aaron Winter

Democracy is not necessarily progressive, and will only be if we make it so. What Mondon and Winter call “reactionary democracy” is the use of the concept of democracy and its associated understanding of the power to the people (demos cratos) for reactionary ends. The resurgence of racism, populism and the far right is not the result of popular demands, it is the logical conclusion of manipulation by the elite of the working class to push reactionary ideas. These narratives portray racism as a popular demand, rather than as something encouraged and perpetuated by elites, exonerating those with the means to influence and control public discourse through the media in particular. This has legitimised the far right, strengthened its hand and compounded inequalities.

These actions divert us away from real concerns and radical alternatives to the current system. Through a careful and thorough deconstruction of the hegemonic discourse currently preventing us from thinking beyond the liberal vs populist dichotomy, this book develops a better understanding of the systemic forces underpinning our current model and its exploitative and discriminatory basis. The book shows us that the far right would not have been able to achieve such success, either electorally or ideologically, were it not for the help of elite actors like the media, politicians and academics. While the far right is a real threat and should not be left off the hook, the authors argue that we need to shift the responsibility of the situation towards those who too often claim to be objective bystanders despite their powerful standpoint and clear capacity to influence the agenda, public discourse, and narratives, particularly when they platform and legitimise racist and far right ideas and actors.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Race, History, Philosophy, Sociology

224 pages, Paperback

Published May 5, 2020

Reviews

[Jaylani Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent work on this subject and topic. Too bad, the author forgot to mention the case of Israel. In Israel, mainstream right-wing parties are also making or promoting far-right policies into mainstream. Some parties are embracing Kahanist ideology to fulfill their power and status.

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

Virtue signaling or how two nobodies are trying hard to surf the current events for personal gains.

1. Some of the Founding Fathers were slave owners
2. Abe Lincoln said that he would not free the slaves if he can keep the Union otherwise
3. A long list of State Governors were openly racist.

So yea, it is shocking how there are such things "mainstream" when nothing in the past would have made the reader guess such an outcome, hence the need for the two nobodies to give their rehashed slogans.

[iougz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let's be honest, I was greatly disappointed by this book. As a book written by two academics aiming to answer the question "how racism and the populist far right became mainstream", I’m afraid that "Reactionary Democracy" fails quite miserably.
To be fair, the book is not completely devoid of interest. My main criticism has to do with its predominantly descriptive nature and its theoretical and explanatory shallowness. Coming from academics, I was expecting a bit more depth! Ultimately, they spend the vast majority of the book describing the phenomenon that they claim to explain.
If you have been paying attention to what has been happening in the UK, US, and France over the last few years with the rise of the far-right and are somewhat familiar with this topic, you won’t learn much nor will you gain deeper, theoretical insight into the mainstreaming of far-right ideas by reading this book.

[Grant Silverman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly important not just for scholars of right-wing politics, but for anyone who has an interest in an anti-racist future. Mondon and Winter write clearly about the grave and systemic problems that have normalized the far right and how we have to reorient our relationship to (small L) liberal institutions if we are to fully reject the poisonous rhetoric and policy that today's reactionaries and fascists have to offer us. Though it is not only a matter or rejecting the illiberal racists, as Mondon and Winter call them, but also understanding how racism and reactionary thought have crept into the mainstream it is this subtler point of racism that needs to be rejected and fought against just as forcefully as the more blatant illiberal strain.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superb study of the various roles played by reactionary politics (the far and extreme right) in western democracies. Rather than the usual finger-pointing towards opportunistic politicians, cynical media, and easily-manipulated and/or lazy voters, the authors emphasize the ways in which liberal racism is deeply complicit in the (often-exaggerated) prominence of illiberal racist groups. The deeper problem therefore is not the rise of ethnonationalist, new-fascist, and other far- and extreme-right political movements, but the eagerness liberal politicians have shown in absorbing their agendas.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great analysis

The analysis of the mainstreaming of right wing ideas is insightful and enlightening. I have found it helpful in better understanding both the current social-political context and other contexts in which race and racism are discussed, such as education and religion.

The writing is a bit complex at times, so the book is not for everyone. There is a leftist bias that varies from pronounced to kept in check. It allows for a mostly fair analysis. The book is well with the read.

[Rob E · Rating 1 out of 5]

Agree with the conclusions but I would have liked to learn something new or read an astute theoretical analysis. It's a bit bland.

[Kathryn LaMontagne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting & important points but,, this book felt rushed and all over the place and like it was in need of more resolution, but all in all a good survey of the topic but nothing incredibly in-depth