A Morbid Democracy

"Morbid Democracy" by Monica Simeoni offers an in-depth analysis of the current crisis of democracy in Europe. The book highlights the challenges arising from globalization and the responses of political parties and elites to these challenges. It demonstrates how the fragmentation of the middle classes leads to an increase in Euroskepticism and, in some cases, xenophobia. The author draws parallels to the thoughts of the Spanish thinker José Ortega y Gasset, who addressed the pathologies of the mass man and the beginnings of the democratic system as early as the beginning of the 20th century. In a time when democracy is increasingly shaped by populism and the pursuit of charismatic leaders, the necessity of an inclusive and citizen-centered European society is emphasized. The book is an important contribution to political science and offers valuable insights into the dynamics of modern democracy.