Against the Personification of Democracy A Lacanian Critique of Political Subjectivity

Much of recent political philosophy can be criticized for failing to provide a full account of that very subjectivity that it is intended to protect and promote. Against the Personification of Democracy, however, takes its cue from classical philosophers, such as Thomas Hobbes and Plato, who consider establishing the nature of subjectivity a necessary starting point for elaborating a proper political structure. Using Hobbes and Jacques Lacan as a lens for viewing the structure of human subjectivity, classical and contemporary political theories are analyzed and critiqued for failing to understand those fundamental issues stemming from the structure of desire and its relation to sovereignty.

Wesley C. Swedlow has taught courses in philosophy and multiculturalism at DePaul University and is currently affiliated with the University of San Francisco, where he teaches courses in ethics.