Political Religion Beyond Totalitarianism : The Sacralization of Politics in the Age of Democracy

The success of fascist and communist regimes has long been explained by their ability to turn political ideology into a type of religion. These innovative essays explore the notion that all forms of modern mass-politics, including democracies, need a form of sacralization to function.

It has long been established that an important element in the success of fascist and communist regimes was their ability to turn their political ideology into a type of religion. The eleven innovative essays in this volume explore the notion that all forms of modern mass politics, including liberal democracies, need such a form of sacralization of politics to function. In modern democracies different political players compete for the support of the people. Sacralization of political forms and ideas, this volume suggests, is necessary to mobilize the hearts and minds of the masses because they expect and desire politics to be more than mere administration. Sacralization, therefore, lies at the heart of modern politics. This volume offers a challenging new view on the relationship between modern politics and religion, paying special attention to the role of ordinary people in the process of sacralization.