UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES OF THE DEMOCRATIC STATE

Abstract

The paper offers a sociological explanation for the underground structures which arise in societies organized as political democracies. The case of the United States is used to explore this curious fact. The disjunction between democracy in public life and inequality in private life is resolved by the underground structures of the democratic state. In brief, as a stratified society becomes more democratic, secret police are used to destabilize social and collective movements toward equality. The preferred strategy is to destabilize class enemies abroad and to draw upon the profits of the global capitalist system in order to sustain legitimacy at home without repression or deception. When this is not possible, the crisis of capitalism requires the state to go underground to control class enemies at home. Workers, socialists, women and minority groups come under secret surveillance. Social justice is defeated while the appearance ofpopular governance is sustained.