The Universalization of “Liberal Democracy”

Abstract

This article explores the concept of “liberal democracy” and the persistent attempts by Western scholars and politicians to present it as the only legitimate form of government. Observing that the popular narrative around democracy pays no attention to social class, it draws on a Marxist understanding of the state, within which framework liberal democracy is simply “the best possible political shell for capitalism,” as Lenin put it. It provides numerous examples of how Western liberal democracies privilege the interests of the ruling (capitalist) class and perpetuate a system of exploitation and oppression. It compares this with systems of socialist democracy, such as whole-process people’s democracy in China. Finally, it highlights how the universalization of liberal democracy is leveraged to prop up Western ideological hegemony, itself part of an imperialist project aimed at preserving the US-led imperialist system.