본 논문은 성공회대학교 민주주의연구소의 연구팀 ‘데모스’가 민주주의 위기에 대한 대안으로 제시한 급진민주주의론의 급진성과 학문적 주체성을 비판적으로 검토한다. 급진민주주의론은 근본으로의 회귀가 아닌 미래와의 연대를 급진화라고 본다. 이 지점에서 급진민주주의론은 마르크스주의를 본질주의적이고 환원주의로 비판하는 포스트 마르크스주의와 조우한다. 이런 급진민주주의론의 전제는 마르크스의 사상은 물론이고 마르크스주의 내부에서도 본질주의와 환원주의에 대한 비판이 지속되었다는 점에서 과도한 일반화라는 비판을 면할 수 없다. 급진민주주의론의 학문적 주체성에 관한 질문은 협소한 이론적 토착성에 관한 것일 수는 없다. 따라서 이 글에서는 급진민주주의론의 학문적 주체성을 판단하기 위해, 이론 및 실천의 양 측면에서 그 이론이 전거로 삼은 그람시의 헤게모니 개념이나 포스트 마르크스주의에 대한 주체적 파악에 입각한 것인지를 고찰한다. 그 결과 한국적 급진민주주의론은 한국의 민주주의와 자본주의 발전수준과 위상에 근거하는 것으로 재구성되어야 한다고 본다. 이상의 비판적 평가에 기초하여 본 논문은, 현재 한국 사회의 민주주의 위기에 대응하는 대안적 사회이론은 현상의 배후에 존재하는 자본주의적 모순을 극복할 수 있는 계급중심성을 견지해야만 한다고 주장한다. 즉 계급적대를 중심으로 다양한 사회적 적대들이 그것을 매개로 하여 나타나는 현상들에 조응하는 연대성의 방안을 마련하는 대안적 민주주의론의 필요성을 주장한다.

This paper critically reviews the theory of radical democracy that has been suggested as an alternative to the crisis of democracy by the research team ‘Demos’ of ‘Democracy and Social Movements Institute’(DaSM) affiliated with Sungkonghoe University. The theory of radical democracy advocates that the radicalization of democracy is not ‘a return to the essence’ but ‘a joining up with future’. This is the exact point where the theory of radical democracy encounters post-Marxism which bitterly criticizes Marxism on the grounds that Marxism is essentialism and reductionism. However this premise of the theory of radical democracy is the reason why it has been criticized as an excessive generalization, because various trends in the tradition of Marxism as well as Marx’s idea has consistently criticized essentialism and reductionism. The question of the academic subjectivity of the theory of radical democracy should not be about it’s parochial theoretical autogeny. Thus this paper inquires, at theoretical and practical aspects, whether the theory of radical democracy has subjectively grasped Gramsci’s concept of hegemony and post-Marxism that it has adopted as it’s theoretical references, in order to check whether it is academically subjective or not. In conclusion, this paper argues that the theory of Korean radical democracy must be reconstructed as one based on the developmental level and status of Korean democracy and capitalism. Based on the critical review of the theory of radical democracy, this paper maintains that an alternative social theory to be able to cope with the present crisis of Korean democracy must stick to the stance of the class-centrality. In other words, this paper advocates an alternative theory of democracy that could correspond with various phenomena of social antagonism that are be revealed through the medium of class opposition.

This paper critically reviews the theory of radical democracy that has been suggested as an alternative to the crisis of democracy by the research team ‘Demos’ of ‘Democracy and Social Movements Institute’(DaSM) affiliated with Sungkonghoe University. The theory of radical democracy advocates that the radicalization of democracy is not ‘a return to the essence’ but ‘a joining up with future’. This is the exact point where the theory of radical democracy encounters post-Marxism which bitterly criticizes Marxism on the grounds that Marxism is essentialism and reductionism. However this premise of the theory of radical democracy is the reason why it has been criticized as an excessive generalization, because various trends in the tradition of Marxism as well as Marx’s idea has consistently criticized essentialism and reductionism. The question of the academic subjectivity of the theory of radical democracy should not be about it’s parochial theoretical autogeny. Thus this paper inquires, at theoretical and practical aspects, whether the theory of radical democracy has subjectively grasped Gramsci’s concept of hegemony and post-Marxism that it has adopted as it’s theoretical references, in order to check whether it is academically subjective or not. In conclusion, this paper argues that the theory of Korean radical democracy must be reconstructed as one based on the developmental level and status of Korean democracy and capitalism. Based on the critical review of the theory of radical democracy, this paper maintains that an alternative social theory to be able to cope with the present crisis of Korean democracy must stick to the stance of the class-centrality. In other words, this paper advocates an alternative theory of democracy that could correspond with various phenomena of social antagonism that are be revealed through the medium of class opposition.

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radical democracy, the radical, the academic subjectivity, post- Marxism, alternative social theory, alternative theory of democracy, the stance for class-centrality, social antagonism, class opposition