Krzysztof MądelCorresponding author

Stanisław Kowalczyk. U podstaw demokracji. Zagadnienia aksjologiczne [At the Base of Democracy: Questions in Axiology]

Article
7 – 2002, pages 262-264
Date of online publication: 30 novembre 2020
Date of publication: 30 novembre 2002

Abstract

Democracy was never praised in unanimity. Nor was it praised by everybody. Its greatest supporters were usually its greatest critics. Alexis de Tocqueville, the author of famous Democracy in America, used to call political parties an „evil inherent in free governments". Being so impressed by the enthusiasm of Americans for joining associations, probably he would never expect that some generations later Jonathan Rauch will call the same genuine American spirit „demosclerotical" and „hyperpluralistic" (Demosclerosis, Times Books, 1994). Stanislaw Kowalczyk writes about democracy from a far different prospective. He completely ignores all factual data and tries to convince the reader that
democracy is predominantly a philosophical quest. And Kowalczyk is right. He is right at least to the extent that he discusses several political ideas and popular Ideologies always underlying all the controversies of our modern society. Since he does it very carefully and accurately, Kowalczyk reveals them very effectively.

Cite this article

Mądel, Krzysztof. "Stanisław Kowalczyk. U podstaw demokracji. Zagadnienia aksjologiczne [At the Base of Democracy: Questions in Axiology]." Forum Philosophicum 7 (2002): 262–4. doi:10.35765/forphil.2002.0701.17.