The Case for Banning Anti-Democratic Parties

This opinion article argues that democracies may need to adopt seemingly undemocratic measures, such as banning political parties, to protect themselves from actors who seek to exploit democratic systems to abolish democracy. Drawing on 20th-century history, the author contends that arguments against such defensive actions are self-defeating. The piece acknowledges the paradox that such measures invite accusations that democracy has already abolished itself, but maintains that the threat from anti-democratic forces justifies the response. The article is a commentary rather than a report on a specific event.