Emanuel Richter: Das demokratische Zeitalter? Zu Jan Werner Müllers Ideengeschichte des 20. Jahrhunderts

Abstract

The 20^th Century as Age of Democracy? On Jan-Werner Müller’s Recent History of Ideas

Jan-Werner Müllers book belongs to a category of social sciences studies which stylize the last century through focusing on numerous large, politically influential ideological movements. He extensively describes the most important political ideas of the 20^th century, their political influence and the disastrous practical consequences. Müller emphasizes the claim for democratic compatibility among many of the ideological currents. In most cases these turn out to be unjustified and flimsy and it does not become clear which 20^th century democratic strands could really be classified as authentic. Müller concludes a broad and liberal understanding of democracy in the 21^st century as the consistent and appropriate reaction upon ideological overstrains of the past.

Besprochen wird:

Müller, J.-W.: Das demokratische Zeitalter