Åbo Akademis bibliotek

Dissidents are celebrated as heroes when they struggle against oppressive political regimes, but in democracies they are all too often seen as a dangerous force. Why is that? Since liberal democracy promises all the good you can get, who would oppose it? And most importantly, why? This comprehensive essay introduces key arguments and critique against liberal democracy as well as those dissidents that have defyed both: the rule of the mob and the status quo of the elites.