Une "démocratie radicale" pas si radicale ? Chantal Mouffe et la critique immanente du libéralisme

peer reviewedIntroduced belatedly into the French-speaking intellectual world, Chantal Mouffe’s thought is of increasing interest. The philosopher is presented as one of the leading theoreticians of the radical left, as a disciple of Carl Schmitt and as a resolute opponent of the liberal tradition. However, according to her own admission, Chantal Mouffe is more in the “socialdemocracy” camp than in the “radical left” camp, she marks a fundamental difference with regard to Carl Schmitt, and she claims her attachment to the liberal ideal. Starting from these discrepancies, this article defends the idea that Chantal Mouffe’s thought is perceived as more radical than it really is. Chantal Mouffe intends to reform the liberal tradition rather than denying it