Event: Philosophical Colloquium - Lecture by Dr Luise Müller: Democratic Authority, Subordination and Punishment

Some of the recent literature in political philosophy suggests that some political institutions (like states) possess legitimate authority in virtue of their democratic procedures. It is an attractive view because it does not rely on implausible conceptions of collective freedom, or on hypothetical constructions of consent. Instead, it emphasises that democratic procedures ensure equality between those subjected to the political decisions. In my paper, I examine whether such a view can be made fruitful for understanding the legitimate authority of international institutions, using the International Criminal Court as an example. Grounded in a Lockean justification of punishment, I argue that the democratic constitution of authoritative institutions is an appropriate solution to what Niko Kolodny calls 'the subordination complaint': that moral equals have a complaint against each other if they find themselves in relations of subordination.