Autocratization as an ideological project: Carl Schmitt's anti-liberalism in South Asia

Abstract

In this chapter I use the work of the Nazi jurist Carl Schmitt to explain illiberal models of political governance across South Asia. First, I explore how Schmitt’s advocacy of a sovereign leader is reflected in the rise of personalised, autocratic leadership in the region. Second, I unpack how his views pose a challenge to liberal views of the rule of law. Third, deep polarisation in South Asian societies reflects Schmitt’s insistence on a politics defined by the distinction between friend and enemy. Finally, I discuss how Schmitt’s advocacy of democracy without liberalism has echoes in the emergence of illiberal majoritarian politics across the region. Using political theory helps us to think comparatively about the ideational framework of autocratization, not only across South Asia, but on a global scale.