by PublicABCP
Translated and reviewed by Matheus Lucas Hebling
The year 2025 marks 80 years since the publication of The Open Society and Its Enemies, a central work by Karl Popper that grounds his conception of minimalist liberal democracy. The article by André Silva de Oliveira (UFPE), 80 anos da Grande Sociedade Aberta – o conceito negativo e defensivo da democracia minimalista em Karl Popper (“80 Years of the Great Open Society: The Negative and Defensive Concept of Minimalist Democracy in Karl Popper”), published in Revista Delos, critically revisits the normative foundations of this theory through a review of the specialized literature, seeking to assess its continued relevance in the face of contemporary threats to representative democracies.
The analysis begins from the recognition that Popper’s idea of the open society remains relevant in confronting the authoritarian forces that challenge democratic institutions in the twenty-first century.
The concept of democracy formulated by Popper stands out for its negative and defensive character. For him, it is the only regime that allows for the peaceful replacement of rulers through free and regular elections, without resorting to violence. Democracy, in this model, is not defined by the will of the majority but by the possibility of alternation in power and by the guarantee that minorities can work for change through institutional means. This conception stands in contrast to purely procedural definitions and recognizes the risks of tyranny even under elected governments.
Building on this view, the article details the set of seven normative rules that make up the “road map” Popper proposed for protecting liberal democracy. Among these safeguards are the exclusion of legal reforms that would compromise the democratic character of the regime, a clear distinction between democratic and tyrannical regimes, and the need to limit the actions of intolerant minorities. Popper also advocates the creation of protective institutions, emphasizing that both rulers and the ruled can display anti-democratic tendencies, which calls for continuous vigilance.
The author also identifies in Popper’s thought the outline of a theory of measured civil resistance, applicable in situations of total democratic collapse. In such extreme cases, the use of political violence would be permitted as a last resort, with the sole aim of restoring the democratic regime. Popper stresses that this kind of resistance must be unequivocally defensive and limited to the reestablishment of constitutional order, without any intention of replacing it with a new authoritarian regime.
The article also notes that today’s challenges include political forms that do not fully fit the classical categories, such as so-called hybrid regimes, in which there is a democratic institutional appearance but authoritarian practices that undermine the balance among the branches of government.
Finally, the author emphasizes that the warnings Popper issued remain pertinent in the face of the rise of hybrid regimes and the progressive erosion of horizontal-accountability institutions. In a context where elections can take place without ensuring the integrity of the democratic process, Popperian theory provides elements for thinking through today’s challenges.
In summary:
- The article revisits Karl Popper’s theory of democracy, 80 years after the publication of The Open Society and Its Enemies.
- It analyzes the normative foundations of the minimalist liberal democracy Popper proposed, based on a critical review of the literature.
- It argues that, for Popper, democracy must allow for the peaceful replacement of rulers and guarantee the role of the opposition, even in majoritarian contexts.
- It details seven normative rules that form a “road map” for protecting democratic institutions against authoritarian attacks.
- It argues that, in the event of total democratic collapse, Popper permits the measured use of civil resistance — including violence — as a last resort to restore democratic order.
- It notes that contemporary hybrid regimes challenge the direct application of the classical categories of democracy and dictatorship, making it harder to diagnose authoritarian threats.
- It concludes that Popper’s warnings remain relevant in the face of institutional erosion and the challenges confronting liberal democracies in the twenty-first century.
About the Author
André Silva de Oliveira holds a PhD in Political Science from the Federal University of Pernambuco (Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, UFPE). He has a master’s degree in Political Science from the Federal University of Pará (2010), a specialization in Public Law from the Faculdade do Pará (2005), and an undergraduate degree in Law from the Federal University of Pará (1984).
Publication Details
Title: 80 anos da Grande Sociedade Aberta – o conceito negativo e defensivo da democracia minimalista em Karl Popper [“80 Years of the Great Open Society: The Negative and Defensive Concept of Minimalist Democracy in Karl Popper”]
Author: André Silva de Oliveira
Year of publication: 2025
Available in: Revista Delos, vol. 18, no. 68
