Mark Leonard — The Rise of Demotic Democracy in Europe

"Demotic democracy" is a euphemism for "rule of the rabble," demos meaning "people" in Greek.

This is the worst nightmare of the elite and the basis of conservatism as the principle that some are better than others.

Obviously, the elite will marshall all means available to counter the rise of the rabble, which threatens the end of their privilege.

Project Syndicate
The Rise of Demotic Democracy in Europe
Mark Leonard | Director of the European Council on Foreign Relations

David F. Ruccio — Critique and the neoliberal university

The neoliberalizing (commercializing) of education and culture, by monetizing education and capitalizing the university. 

With the ending of liberal education, can liberal democracy survive? 

The neoliberalizers see the problem as a tyranny of the majority aka rule of the rabble and seek to end that, too, but destroying its roots. This is nothing less than a veiled attack on popular sovereignty by undermining its foundation in education and culture.

The current model is that the faculty works for the administration, and the administration carries out of the wishes of the trustees that represent big donors. Students are clients and customers. 

Formerly liberal education dedicated to critical thinking and creativity is being repurposed to feed the machine with qualified and compliant labor.

Occasional Links & Commentary
Critique and the neoliberal university
David F. Ruccio | Professor of Economics University of Notre Dame Notre Dame