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What does democratic entropy mean, exactly? For Tocqueville, the answer is simple: it refers to a tragic equation of democratic principles; in sum, all principles grow extreme when put into democratic practice. For example, liberty becomes omnipotence, equality becomes egalitarianism, and individuation becomes individualism. How do we currently define the condition of democracy? And what tools are available to bridge the gap between democratic principles and practices? Institutional tools are needed, surely, but also tools for citizens, linked to civil society.

Cynthia Fleury is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the American University of Paris.

This event is co-sponsored by the Columbia Alliance Program and the Maison Française.