The Challenge of Carl Schmitt

Carl Schmitt's thought serves as a warning against the dangers of complacency entailed by triumphant liberalism.

His conception of politics is a sharp challenge to those who believe that there is a third way between the left and right and that the increasing moralization of political discourse constitutes a great advance for democracy.

Schmitt reminds us forcefully that the essence of politics is struggle and that the distinction between friend and enemy cannot be abolished.

Contributions: Gregoris Ananiadis, Agostino Carrino, Catherine Colliot-Thelene, Jorge Dotti, David Dyzenhaus, Paul Hirst, Jean-Francois Kervegan, Chantal Mouffe, Ulrich Preuss, Slavoj � i� ek and an important essay by Carl Schmitt available in English for the first time.