Episode #133 ... Carl Schmitt on Liberalism pt. 2

Political Apathy

Stephen West explores Carl Schmitt's critique of liberalism, highlighting its tendency to foster political apathy. Schmitt argues that liberal societies, by promoting multiculturalism and tolerance, dilute strong political identities, leading to a disengaged populace. This disengagement results in a society where individuals are more spectators than participants in political processes 1.

Liberalism produces weak people. And those people generally tend to be more politically uninformed or apathetic simply because they can be in liberal societies.

West emphasizes that this lack of engagement weakens societies, making them vulnerable to groups with stronger identities imposing their will 2.

   

Loss of Identity

The decline of strong political, religious, or national identities in liberal societies is a central concern for Schmitt. Stephen West explains that liberalism's emphasis on multiculturalism and tolerance undermines the formation of cohesive political communities 2. This results in societies that, according to Schmitt, lack a clear identity and purpose, leaving them susceptible to external influences.

Liberalism hasn't removed the sovereign from the political process. And the only time pieces of paper like the Constitution prevent the sovereign from acting are during periods of normalcy when the sovereign wouldn't be exercising authoritarian power anyway.

--- Stephen West

West suggests that without a strong identity to protect, these societies are at risk of falling for anything, echoing the sentiment that if you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything 3.