Instant Scholar: How Habermas' theory links democracy, power and ethics — and why it still matters

In his doctoral thesis “Discourse Ethics, Power, and Legitimacy: The Ideal of Democracy and the Task of Critical Theory in Habermas,” scholar Abdollah Payrow Shabani delves deep into the philosophical framework of Jürgen Habermas — one of the most influential social theorists of the 20th century. At its core, the thesis attempts to understand how democratic legitimacy can be justified through ethical communication and how critical theory must confront the realities of power in modern political life.

What is discourse ethics ?

Habermas’ concept of discourse ethics is the cornerstone of the thesis. It is based on the idea that moral norms are valid only if they can win the acceptance of all affected in a rational discourse — one free from coercion or manipulation. In other words, decisions are legitimate not because they’re voted on, enforced, or popular, but because they’re arrived at through open, honest, and inclusive communication among free and equal individuals.

Shabani uses this principle to interrogate how democracy ought to function, not just procedurally (as in elections or institutional design), but normatively — how people reason, deliberate, and reach understanding in the public sphere.

The problem of power and legitimacy
One of the key tensions Shabani explores is between democratic ideals and the realities of power. In any society, political decisions are influenced by structures of authority, historical inequality, and strategic interests. Shabani argues that if power is not subject to ethical scrutiny — if it dominates communication rather than emerges from it — then democratic legitimacy breaks down.




He turns to Habermas’ theory of communicative action to resolve this. According to Habermas, legitimate power arises when people participate in decision-making processes that are fair, inclusive, and free from domination. Thus, legitimacy is not just about legal authority, but moral acceptability — grounded in shared understanding rather than coercion.

Why critical theory still matters
Shabani argues that the role of critical theory — a philosophical approach developed by the Frankfurt School — is not to prescribe solutions from above but to enable democratic subjects to question unjust conditions and reclaim their voice in political life.

He critiques earlier versions of critical theory, such as those by Adorno and Horkheimer, for their pessimism about mass democracy and public reason. In contrast, he sees Habermas as reviving the emancipatory potential of reason and dialogue.

Shabani insists that critical theory should empower citizens to challenge distorted forms of communication — for example, those shaped by media monopolies, technocratic jargon, or corporate lobbying — and help build institutions that foster genuine deliberation. In this way, democracy is not a fixed system but a continuing project of ethical self-reflection and institutional reform.

Democracy as an ideal, not just a structure
A crucial part of Shabani’s thesis is the idea that democracy must be seen as a normative ideal — a vision of how people ought to live together — rather than simply a set of political arrangements. Elections, parliaments, and courts matter, but they must be underpinned by a culture of reasoned debate, mutual respect, and openness to dissent.

Habermas’ discourse model provides a framework for this: it imagines a “public sphere” where citizens can engage in rational discussion without being sidelined by power, ideology, or economic status. But Shabani warns that this ideal is constantly under threat in real-world democracies.

Applications in today’s world
Although the thesis is philosophical, its relevance is sharply contemporary. From polarised social media platforms to political disinformation, the degradation of public discourse is evident across democracies. Shabani’s interpretation of Habermas offers a reminder that democracy cannot survive without ethical communication — without people who are willing to listen, reflect, and justify their positions in ways that others can accept.

Moreover, in an age of rising authoritarianism, surveillance, and populist manipulation, the demand for legitimacy based on rational agreement rather than brute force is more urgent than ever.

Abdollah Payrow Shabani’s work is both an exposition and defence of a democratic ideal — one that does not give up on reason, dialogue, or moral accountability. Drawing from Habermas, he reaffirms that legitimacy in politics comes not from who holds power, but from how that power is justified in conversation with the people it affects.

At a time when democratic institutions are under strain worldwide, this thesis offers not just academic insight but a call to restore ethical reasoning at the heart of public life.

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