SLAVERY, NEOLIBERALISM, NECROPOLITICS. THE SOLAR AND NOCTURNAL BODIES OF DEMOCRACY
SLAVERY, NEOLIBERALISM, NECROPOLITICS. THE SOLAR AND NOCTURNAL BODIES OF DEMOCRACY

Summary/Abstract: The article explores the contemporary crisis of liberal democracy, framing it withinthe colonial heritage and ongoing economic dominance of Western countries.It traces the rise of the idea of human rights and free trade, linking it with thepractices of slavery and exploitation of conquered territories. The author examinesEnlightenment philosophers' views on slavery and colonialism and outlines theeconomic consequences of these historical phenomena to analyze how theycontributed to the democratization and economic development of Europeancountries. The text proceeds to examine current international economic relations toshow how the imbalance of power between rich and developing countries leads toexploitation of the latter. The article argues that both colonial roots andcontemporary unequal trade relations underpin the current rise of populism andxenophobia in Western countries faced. The main guiding theme of the work isMbembe's proposed idea of the solar and nocturnal body of democracy: the constantintertwining of internal economic and cultural flourishing with the rise of inequality,populism and undemocratic practices.

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