Claude Lefort

Claude Lefort was a French philosopher and political theorist known for exploring the nature of democracy and power. He argued that true democracy involves an ongoing openness and uncertainty, where no single individual or institution holds absolute authority. Instead, power is visibly shared and continuously contested, creating a space of openness that prevents tyranny. Lefort emphasized that democratic societies are characterized by the presence of an empty space of authority—meaning authority exists but is always subject to change, debate, and reconstruction, reflecting the dynamic and participatory essence of democratic life.