Self-Preservation and Salvation: How Democracy Functions in a Disenchanted World

Abstract

The concept of "disenchantment" (Entzauberung) was first mentioned by the famous German poet Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller in his poem The Gods of Greece. In the poem, he mentioned that the gods in mythology ruled over man and all creatures, the world was full of beauty and love, and all things performed miracles. When Christ God became the only God, the miracles faded, and mankind was lost. Disenchantment theory and democratic institutions are central to Max Weber's theory. On the basis of combining the two, this paper studies how democracy functions in a disenchanted world from two perspectives: self-preservation and salvation. Findings suggest that democracy can inject some elements of quasi-charisma into an otherwise spiritually deadened situation. In a post-disenchantment world, a democratic system led by a strong leader will save people's spiritual world in a mutually empowering way through both self-preservation and salvation. Self-preservation within democracy signifies individuals' expression of free will through leader selection. Salvation in democracy entails placing trust in elected leaders to bring about happiness and national prosperity.