Even in its critical tendencies, contemporary political theory tends to reduce the importance of social classes. The focus shifted to the "differences" to be respected and accommodated in a democratic regime. The article argues that the inequalities of classes, and the conflicts arising from them, remain central to understanding the political dynamics of capitalist societies. They put obstacles to the deepening of democracy, linked to material inequality, control of the property, influence on the State and differentiated socialization of workers and employers. The article advocates for a democratic theory that is sensitive to the centrality of class inequality, but without ignoring the importance of other forms of oppression in society.
democracy; capitalism; social classes; contemporary political theory