Memory and Democracy: reflection on contemporary politics

Abstract

This essay is a critical reflection on contemporary politics. It seeks to understand the functioning conditions of the Portuguese and European political systems and their relationship with time. Its main contribution lies in the proposal of a hermeneutic framework for analyzing political reality, grounded in the ideas of democracy, human rights, and virtue. It is an interdisciplinary study that explores human values and behaviours within the scope of political culture. The essay presents historical, philosophical, and literary examples that highlight the nature of political time and its constitutive elements, such as the knowledge of the past and transformative human action. It is a reflection on politics, power, and human development. It also reflects on Portugal and the Portuguese people as a community of destiny and a unique memory embedded in Europe and the world. It examines the conditions under which people can live together despite their differences, a possibility that is currently under significant threat.