NEOCONS AND THEOCONS: FUNDAMENTALISM VERSUS DEMOCRACY

Abstract

Technocratic fundamentalism (neocons) and theocratic fundamentalism (teocons) are two manifestations of political thought very restrictive of democracy. The f irst one has a higher incidence in the f ield of economy and the second one in that of the religion, but both imply a strong challenge for the democratic State. This article deals with the more or less formal conjunction between both kinds of fundamentalism, that appears and acts, even at a global level, as a very conservative reaction against the main demands of civic laicism and of progressive policies. The author maintains that the answer to these new fundamentalisms, like to the old dogmatisms, is not at all the relativism, but the critical and auto critical thought. The point is to advance, with this critical attitude, in the construction of new democratic formulations, provided with a more strong fundament in terms of ethical legitimacy and social legitimation.