Socialinės nelygybės grėsmė demokratijai: dingęs dalyvis

LTMokslo darbas remiasi prielaida, kad šiandieninė demokratija patiria vidinių, nacionalinių grėsmių pavojų, kuris lemia demokratijos likimą. Tyrimo tikslas - įvertinti, kaip socialinė nelygybė veikia demokratiją. Straipsnyje analizuojamas socialinės nelygybės veiksnys demokratijai, kurį galima nagrinėti kaip grėsmę, keičiančią demokratiją ir jos galimybes išlikti. Darbe pasitelkiami tyrimai, analizuojantys socialinės nelygybės ir demokratijos sankirtas ir abipuses įtakas. Kaip socialinės nelygybės pasekmė nagrinėjamas pasitraukimas iš aktyvaus dalyvavimo politikoje bei "dingusio dalyvio" konceptas.

ENThe present scientific work is based on the assumption that today’s democracy is threatened by internal and national threats determining the fate of democracy. The purpose of the research is to assess in what way social inequality affects democracy. The article analyses the factor of social inequality for democracy, which can be analysed as a threat that changes democracy, and the possibilities for democracy to survive. The article reviews the studies on the intersections between social inequality and democracy and on their mutual influences. The withdrawal from active participation in politics is discussed as a consequence of social inequality; the concept of the "lost participant" is introduced. Assessing from the point of view of cause and effect, different studies provide different positions towards the issue of interrelation between social inequality and democracy. The following approaches can be distinguished: first, social inequality as a source of democracy, which is usually manifested as an increase in the demand for democracy when, under the conditions of authoritarianism, one is refusing to adapt and opposing to inequality. Second, decline in confidence in democracy due to the lack of resolving inequality, which essentially undermines the processes of democratization and the consolidation of democracy. The third approach is the influence of democracy on inequality, in particular on the growth of economic inequality, which disturbs equal development of the society and its involvement in politics. The consequences of inequality in society are manifested in a sequence that is Unfavourable to democracy, since inequality distorts society and socially excluded groups appear.Divided society is not capable of agreeing because the interests and access to resources of alienated social groups are radically different, therefore, it becomes impossible to achieve common goals and favourable conditions for social conflict emerge. Non-participation in politics and the decline in civic activity are also affected by social inequality, which should be perceived as a threat to the survival of democracy. The practice of democracy tends towards democracy without participation. Nonparticipation is firstly chosen by socially disadvantaged groups of the society, therefore, social inequality is a threat to democracy. The possibilities for democracy to survive can be sought in the deliberative democracy, because the "lost participant" can be found there; at least here he uses the opportunity to express his interests and to criticize the rulers. Lost participant may possibly emerge in the field of politics under the conditions of deliberative democracy, for whom particularly favourable conditions are created by modem media capable of replacing political parties as the main intermediary between citizens and government. The main role of media is not to attract to the elections, but to increase the debate, because during that time even different, not capable to find agreements groups begin to express their interests and one can hope they will defend them in the future in order to implement them. In addition, the media provides small and marginalized groups with an opportunity to enter the political field and engage in political activity.