The Fusion of Democracy and Racism: An Evaluation of the Regimes of Israel and the Apartheid South Africa

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Mazandaran

2 B.A. Student of Political Science, University of Mazanadaran

10.22080/jpir.2025.28146.1409

Abstract

Democracy and racism are founded on ideas that, in theory, are in opposition to one another. However, in contemporary times, we have witnessed regimes that, despite being established on liberal democratic structures, have implemented racist beliefs on a wide scale. In this context, the question arises: how can this coexistence of contradictory elements (democracy and racism) be analyzed? The article hypothesizes that while democracy, as a method of governance, is based on a system of political equality and the ethics of compromise among different political, economic, and socio-cultural groups, its inclusiveness and flexibility may be limited to the insiders. This means its political equality and compromise ethics do not necessarily extend to the "absolute other" (different races or identities). To prove this hypothesis, the present research departs from the dichotomy of "ethnic/cultural nation and political nation" to explain "how the modern form of governance coexists with pre-modern normative content," aiming to provide a theoretical framework for understanding the hybrid phenomenon of the coexistence of democracy and racism within a political regime. As a case study, the research focuses on the regimes of Israel and the Apartheid South Africa. The research method is descriptive-analytical, and the data collection is based on library-based studies.

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