Ist ein Verbot der NPD sinnvoll? Die Pioniere der deutschen Parteientheorie im Vormarz waren skeptisch

In: Zeitschrift für Parlamentsfragen: ZParl, Band 44, Heft 1, S. 137-145

Abstract

With the renewed debate of a possible ban of the NPD gaining steam, this article questions from the perspective of democratic theory whether party bans make sense at all in an open society. A close look at the ideas of the state philosophy of the German Vormarz reveals an astonishing finding: Unknowingly, participants in the current dispute reproduce an almost 200-year-old discourse and draw on arguments for and against the banning of parties, which were already known before 1848. The majority of the contemporary authors are extremely skeptical towards party bans and the diversity of their objections can be grouped into three main arguments: party bans achieve nothing (futility thesis), party bans are harmful (jeopardy thesis), party bans violate the spirit of democracy (perversity thesis). The contribution of these Vormarz readings to the theory of democracy is an appeal to the citizens to engage the enemies of the constitution in a fierce political dispute rather than wait for legal aid. Adapted from the source document.