The Public and the People: Heidegger’s Illiberal Politics
Author(s)
Dostal, Robert J.
Abstract
Heidegger was critical of the concept of ‘the public,’ but this attitude cannot be simply equated with fascism or a romantic rejection of modern culture. According to Heidegger, publicness is inauthentic, being characterized by distantiality, averageness and leveling down. He contrasts the inauthenticity of the public with the possibility of an authentic politics of ‘the people’ as a community. Heidegger’s criticism of the public resembles that of Kierkegaard and has a religious basis as well, in the poet’s conversation with the gods. Heidegger was politically naive in accepting fascism, but his criticism of the public deserves consideration.
