ABSTRACT
“Good citizenship” requires not only insight into factors that promote inner democracy, but also a feeling for the factors that obstruct it. Our position in social relationships gives us a feeling of self-esteem that is conducive to our happiness and well-being. Inner democracy can become blocked by exclusive truth-claims. This is frequently accompanied by a “closed mind” with rigid boundaries between one person and the other person, so that the self closes itself off from alternative viewpoints. Inner democracy can also become obstructed by a narcissistic attitude that is characterized by self-inflation, exploitation of other people, exhibitionism, and impersonal relationships, along with neglect or suppression of one’s weaker I-positions. In addition, utopian thinking has an obstructive influence on inner democracy. The boundaries between oneself and the disagreeing other person get closed off in a rigid way. The position-repertoire becomes organized in a rigid and hierarchical way, with the result that many other I-positions become subordinated to it.
