Democracy in Flux: The Project of Modernity and the Rise of New Authoritarianism

This paper explores the democratic crisis by examining its deep entanglement with the ongoing evolution of the modernity project. Traditionally, democracy was seen as a natural byproduct of economic development and modernization, yet this assumption has been increasingly questioned. The research challenges simplistic interpretations of democratic decline, investigating the complex interplay between political legitimacy, cultural fragmentation, and social order. Drawing on the work of theorists like Lipset and Hall, I argue that democracy’s foundations are being destabilized by a profound dislocation of identities, as modernity’s promises of security and cohesion unravel in the face of rapid social acceleration and economic precarity.

The analysis extends to the paradoxical reconfiguration of democracy since the late 20th century. Rather than being purely under threat from neoliberal elites, democracy is caught in a dual tension: on the one hand, it faces rising demands for greater participation and representation; on the other, it is seen as a vehicle of exclusion, manipulated by those defending their status within increasingly fragmented social hierarchies. The post-1989 model of democracy, rooted in liberal representative ideals, no longer holds the same emancipatory potential, as socio-economic inequalities and cultural divisions deepen.

By framing contemporary populism and sovereignism as products of advanced modernity, this paper reveals how these movements, far from rejecting modernization, co-opt democratic mechanisms to reinforce exclusionary identities. The traditional link between individual autonomy and collective governance is disintegrating, replaced by neo-communitarian strategies of recognition that undermine egalitarian values. This shift reflects a broader crisis of self-fulfilment, which threatens to transform democracy from an inclusive political project into a tool for division. In conclusion, this study calls for a critical re-evaluation of modernity’s democratic promises, as political sociology faces the challenge of understanding the rise of exclusionary populism and neo-authoritarianism in contemporary society.