The Challenging Future of Consensus

In his column, former Federal Councilor Pascal Couchepin shares a book that left a lasting impression on him. This month, it’s an essay by Marcel Gauchet on democracies.

How Democracies Think. In the title of his essay, Marcel Gauchet omitted the question mark. This is somewhat imprudent, given how much the situation varies from one democratic country to another. Switzerland is not France. Nevertheless, the author’s analysis of the situation—though it often refers to France—is useful to us in trying to understand our own ideological evolution.

Marcel Gauchet draws on a wide range of historical and philosophical expertise and knowledge to support his conclusions. His book is not an easy read, but the effort it requires is rewarded by the discovery of a fresh perspective on the history of ideas and the events that led to