Democracy and totalitarianism

the dilemma of the masses

Authors

  • Annie Dymetman

Keywords:

Democracy, Totalitarianism, Masses, Simulacrum, Resistance

Abstract

The author examines the dilemma of the masses in the debate on the limits and inflections of democracy, asking whether it is a guarantee against totalitarianism or whether totalitarianism would be a possible perversion of democracy. It aims to confront two critical metaphorizations, the postmodern one of Jean Baudrillard, who conceives the mass as a black hole and simulacrum, and that of Elias Canetti, who rescues the mass as an instrument of the civilizing process, based on Foucault's reading of Kant. The methodology is theoretical-critical and interdisciplinary, articulating sociology, psychoanalysis and literature. It concludes that Canetti's thought, around the will to peace and life, offers new technique and content to the democratic debate.

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References

ADORNO; HORKHEIMER. Dialética do Esclarecimento. Rio de Janeiro: Jorge Zahar, 1986.

BAUDRILLARD, Jean. À sombra das maiorias silenciosas. São Paulo: Brasiliense, 1994.

BROCH, Hermann. Os Sonâmbulos: Pasenow ou o Romantismo. Lisboa: Edições 70, 1952. vol. I.

CANETTI, Elias. Massa e Poder. São Paulo: Cia. das Letras, 1995.

FOUCAULT, Michel. O que é Iluminismo. Curso inédito no Collège de France, 1983.

GUÉRIN, Daniel. Fascismo y gran capital. Madrid: Fundamentos, 1973.

NORA, Pierre. Entre memória e história: a problemática dos lugares. Revista do Programa de Estudos em História, São Paulo, PUC, n. 10, dez. 1990.

NOVO DICIONÁRIO AURÉLIO. Rio de Janeiro: Nova Fronteira, 1986.

Published

1997-01-01

How to Cite

DYMETMAN, Annie. Democracy and totalitarianism: the dilemma of the masses. Brazilian Journal of Criminal Science, São Paulo, v. 17, n. 17, p. 296–305, 1997. Disponível em: https://publicacoes.ibccrim.org.br/index.php/RBCCRIM/article/view/3586. Acesso em: 20 oct. 2026.

Issue

Section

Sociologia Jurídica
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