1 0 8 6 A Theory of Council Republicanism Michael J. Thompson “ If democracy is justiied in governing the state, then it must also be justi- ied in governing economic enterprises.” – Robert Dahl Introduction The problem of economic power is one of the most durable and potent forms of domination in modern societies. The expansion of economic divisions that continue to plague capitalist society seems to be morphing into an entrenched oligarchy where the political sphere is increasingly fused to economic power. In addition to this, democratic culture seems also to be withering. By most accounts, political activity of all kinds has been decreasing as economic inequality widens and embeds itself into the struc- ture and lifeworld of modern society, fostering anti-democratic attitudes towards authority and a relative quiescence of organising and critical attitudes against oligarchic policies. 1 What these realities show is that the economic sphere in capitalist societies is a central source of hierarchical and non-democratic forms of life. Extending democracy into economic life is therefore a question of considerable importance. The surge in eco- nomic inequality, the increasing dominance of technocratic elites and the rise of cultural alienation from political concerns and activity have ground Western democracies down. As a result, political theorists search in earnest for forms of democratic practice and institutions that can serve to counter the strong, integrating trends rooted in capitalist economic life. One trend that has re-emerged in recent left political theory is the concern with workers’ councils: a form of self-management and self-rule by workers over their respective irms. This has not been the sole purview of socialist thinkers and theorists. Liberal thinkers, such as John Stuart Mill in the nineteenth century and Robert Dahl in the late twentieth, have been drawn to the idea of eco- nomic democracy and co-operative ownership of irms. 2 Nevertheless, workers’ councils ind their most historically robust formulation in the post-First World War era when countries such as Germany, Austria and 9780815383697_pi-248.indd 108 9780815383697_pi-248.indd 108 24-Apr-18 2:40:33 PM 24-Apr-18 2:40:33 PM