Democracy, particularly liberal democracy, is a great philosophy of inclusion. Rule of the people, by the people, for the people; and where "people" is supposed to mean (unlike in earlier days) everybody - without the unspoken restrictions of yesteryear: peasants, women, slaves and so on - this offers the prospect of the most inclusive politics of human history.
And yet, there is also something in the dynamic of democracy which pushes to exclusion. This was allowed full rein in earlier forms of this regime, as among the ancient poleis and republics; but today it is a great cause of malaise.
What makes the thrust to exclusion? What makes democracy inclusive is that it is the government of all the people; what makes for exclusion is that it is the government of all the people.
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