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Capitalism, Crisis and Democracy
Theory and Conflict in Portugal's Dawn of Decline
Series: - Historical Materialism Book Series, Volume: 392
Author:
How do crises reveal the contradictions of liberal democracy and why does the left present itself as the failed last guardian of liberal capitalism? Capitalism, Crisis and Democracy takes you inside Portugalâs political upheaval to address these urgent questions. Drawing on democratic theory, Marxist political economy, and discourse analysis, the book shows how austerity hollowed out democratic legitimacy and created space for the far right. Through interviews with policymakers, trade unionists, and protesters, it reveals how competing democratic visions clashed during crisis. This book challenges depoliticised models of democracy and offers a conflict-centred alternative grounded in social struggle.
Jonas Van Vossole, Ph.D. (2021), Coimbra University, is a researcher in Democracy Studies, International Relations and Political Ecology. Selected publications include Framing PIGS (Patterns of Prejudice, 2016) and Israel and the End of International Law (Journal of World-Systems Research, 2024).
Introduction
1 Democracy in Portugal: Context and Crisis
â1âThe Making of Portuguese Democracy
â2âThe Political Economy of Austerity
â3âDemocracy as a Historical and Ideological Product
2 âCrisisâ in the Transition to Political Science
â1âThe Scientific Concept of Crisis
â2âDialectics and Critique
â3âCrisis, Science, and History
â4âCrisis, Science and the Political
â5âCrisis, Critique and Political Science Now
3 Democratic Theory: History and Crisis
â1âSchools and Waves of Democracy
â2âThe Crisis of Democracy and Its Alternatives
â3âCrisis of the Alternatives and a Restart of History
â4âDemocracy in Todayâs Crisis
4 Democratic Austerity
â1âThe Context: Three Ways to Read the Crisis
â2âElements of AusterityâHegemony
â3âCritical Discourse Analysis of Two Policymakers
â4âAn Austerity Definition of Democracy in Crisis
5 Democratic Alternatives
â1âFrom Crisis to Protest: An Overview
â2âQuestioning the Protestors
â3âFrom Protest to Democratic Alternatives
â4âContemporary Socialist Perspectives
6 Summary and Final Remarks
Postscript: From Pandemic to the Rise of the Global Right
Bibliography
Index
1 Democracy in Portugal: Context and Crisis
â1âThe Making of Portuguese Democracy
â2âThe Political Economy of Austerity
â3âDemocracy as a Historical and Ideological Product
2 âCrisisâ in the Transition to Political Science
â1âThe Scientific Concept of Crisis
â2âDialectics and Critique
â3âCrisis, Science, and History
â4âCrisis, Science and the Political
â5âCrisis, Critique and Political Science Now
3 Democratic Theory: History and Crisis
â1âSchools and Waves of Democracy
â2âThe Crisis of Democracy and Its Alternatives
â3âCrisis of the Alternatives and a Restart of History
â4âDemocracy in Todayâs Crisis
4 Democratic Austerity
â1âThe Context: Three Ways to Read the Crisis
â2âElements of AusterityâHegemony
â3âCritical Discourse Analysis of Two Policymakers
â4âAn Austerity Definition of Democracy in Crisis
5 Democratic Alternatives
â1âFrom Crisis to Protest: An Overview
â2âQuestioning the Protestors
â3âFrom Protest to Democratic Alternatives
â4âContemporary Socialist Perspectives
6 Summary and Final Remarks
Postscript: From Pandemic to the Rise of the Global Right
Bibliography
Index
This book is for scholars of political theory and political economy, graduate students, and activists engaged with democracy and capitalism, offering Portugal- and Europe-based analysis with relevance beyond regional context.