ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book does not rally to the cause of those who feel that the crisis of confidence in Western democracies justifies a revolutionary change. It, however, is not a manual for solving practical political problems. Its abstract philosophical framework is well-suited for placing on the agenda issues relating to the aims and importance of pure politics. A republican political order not only distinguishes between state and society, but also between legitimate government and the state as such. The book advocates a republican form of democracy where a clear distinction between state and society results in a non-totalitarian realisation of political interest. The book concerns the possibility of a civic right of protest or, in the context of international politics, a right of intervention in the domestic affairs of another state standing accused of a serious violation of human rights.
