Fragili identità, fragili democrazie

The struggle for recognition identifes a cornerstone of the new dynamic functioning of contemporary political and social life (problems of recognition in a multicultural society, struggles for recognition of individuals and identitarian groups etc.). More and more the stability, progress and well-being of individuals and communities depend upon recognition. However, there is a kind of “dark side” beyond this pervasive logic of recognition which mirrors the current rise of populism and a general weakness in contemporary political discourse. For the author – who discusses some aspects of Plato, Weber and Ricoeur’s philosophies, this is essentially a moral and anthropological question: in fact, the more individuals are weak, the less their democracy is strong.