Phenomenology and Mind

No. 16 (2019): Unpacking Political Agency: Equality, Vulnerability, Discrimination
Section 3. Political Agency and Equality

Why Not a Philosopher King? and Other Objections to Epistocracy

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  • Dragan Kuljanin
Dragan Kuljanin
Central European University, Budapest
DOI: https://doi.org/10.13128/Phe_Mi-26075

Published 2019-09-10

Keywords

  • epistocracy,
  • democracy,
  • voting

How to Cite

Kuljanin, D. (2019). Why Not a Philosopher King? and Other Objections to Epistocracy. Phenomenology and Mind, (16), 80–89. https://doi.org/10.13128/Phe_Mi-26075
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Abstract

In this paper I will examine epistocracy as a form of limiting the political agency of some citizens (by removing their political rights) and offer an internal critique of it. I will argue that epistocracy runs into a number of logical and epistemic problems in trying to define who should be the members of an epistocratic polity. Furthermore, I will argue that the argument for epistocracy cannot ignore unjust background conditions. I will also suggest that some of the problems epistocracy attempts to correct can be solved in a more just way, while preserving democracy.

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