2025/08/26 by Philipp Stehr · 2 voices
Social Sciences · #Intellectual Property Law
paper · doi:10.16995/pp.18607
openalex publication_date 2025/08/26 · openalex created_date 2025/08/27 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
This is an accepted article with a DOI pre-assigned that is not yet published.Democratic politics in practice often lags far behind the democratic ideals that justify democracy in theory. Where democratic theory postulates the equality of citizens and the accountability of elected officials, democratic practice is often characterized by the absence of accountability and deep political inequality. As a response to these issues, this paper presents an argument for a right to political strikes in democratic societies. Such a right can empower citizens to effectively hold officials accountable and prevent the worst excesses of elite capture. It is therefore justified as a means of self-defense to protect basic democratic rights. The paper defends this claim against the objections that political strikes distribute the burdens of political contestation unfairly and that this is an overly contestatory approach to politics.