Foundationalism and its beyond: A critical analysis of the theories of democracy

This study aims to introduce how democracy can be evaluated based on post-foundationalist understanding, of democracy by pointing out the problematic aspects that arise from considering democracy from a foundational perspective. Foundationalism refers to assumption that an ultimate principle is constitutive in the grounding of politics and society. Foundationalist approaches in democracy studies restrict democracy to a particular ultimate principle and attempt to construct the ideal democratic order upon this principle. Therefore, for a foundationalist theory of democracy, all that needs to be done is to establish a consistent system on this fundamental principle, which is assumed to be ultimate. However, no principle that reveals the grounding movement in democracy is ultimate. This is because the principles that ground democracy can only exist with their contingent, temporary and contextual qualities. Opposing views to foundationalism can emerge in the form of anti-foundationalism, which holds that no principle can found society. It can also emerge with the post-foundationalist view, which rejects only the claim of the ultimate principle but accepts the necessity of provisional and contingent principles and the process of grounding and un-grounding. This study argues that anti- foundationalism's rejection of all forms of grounding is also a type of foundationalism. Therefore, throughout the study, while critisizing the concept of democracy in the context of foundationalism, the possibility of its evaluation based on a post-foundationalist perspective is sought. In this context, the first part of the study problematizes the (non-)origins of democracy through foundationalism in a historical framework. The concepts of politeia and res publica are at the center of problematization. The second chapter is devoted to the evaluation of democracy in the context of the modern state, sovereignty, contractualism and representation. At the same time, the ideal of neutrality and public space issues are also adressed. In the last part of the thesis, arguments for modeling democracy are subject to a critical analysis. Subsequently, from a post- foundationalist perspective, democracy as a grounding-ungrounding movement, the an-arkhê principle, democracy's communal feature and the democracy to-come are emphasized. Keywords Foundationalism, democracy, antagonism/agonism, consensus, ground, horizon