Anger,
Fear, Domination
Dark
Passions and the Power of Political Speech
by
William A. Galston
Published:
Tuesday, 2 Sep 2025
Praise
A
renowned political theorist offers a road map to the dark forces that threaten
democracy
Liberalism
orients itself around the idea of self-interest tempered by reason, with the
addition of civically useful emotions such as patriotism, self-sacrifice, and
empathy. But the politics dominating much of the world shows that these ideals
are not enough. William A. Galston argues that the defense of liberal democracy
requires understanding the dark forces whose impact on political life liberal
democratic institutions seek to mute: the emotions of fear, humiliation, anger,
resentment, and hatred, and the drive to dominate. In hard or threatening
times, it is these dark passions that most reliably persuade people and move
them to action—whether voting or violence.
Throughout
the democratic world, these institutional defenses are now being tested by a
new generation of demagogues. With a keen awareness of the stakes, Galston
explains why countering this dangerous development requires not only more
responsive public policies but persuasive rhetoric and a realistic conception
of political psychology—one that is free of the illusion that reason or
affirmative sentiments such as empathy, solidarity, and love can reliably
dominate public affairs.
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