Introduction: Democracy and The Emotional Life

Table of Contents

Contents Summary Introduction: Democracy and the Emotional Life Thoughts, Behaviour and Emotions What Emotional Intelligence Is: A Brief History and Definition Why Emotional Intelligence Matters for Democracy The Limits of Current Emotional Intelligence Models A Broad Framework of Emotional Skills Intrinsic Goals Internal Perceptions External Perceptions Attitudes Internal Processing Internal Expression External Expression From Emotional Intelligence to Emotional Wisdom Emotional Skills and Democratic Culture Conclusion Appendix: Comprehensive Framework of Emotional Skills

Democracy is often discussed in terms of constitutions, elections, parties and institutions. Yet it is also lived much more intimately: in how we listen, disagree, tolerate frustration, recognise the needs of others, admit error, use anger, process loss, and resist the temptation to dehumanise those with whom we differ. Democracy is a collective decision-making process from the mundane to the mega-important. It is therefore as much a grassroots phenomenon as a national form of government. It begins in the home, in friendship, in local communities, and in the emotional habits that shape how people relate to themselves and to one another.

This article argues that emotional intelligence is essential for democratic life, but that it is not sufficient on its own. Democracy depends on emotional capacities such as self-awareness, empathy, realism, responsibility, constructive expression and social concern. At the same time, existing models of emotional intelligence do not fully capture the wider framework of emotional skills needed for mature democratic culture. My aim here is therefore twofold: first, to show why emotional intelligence matters for democracy; and second, to outline a broader framework of emotional skills that reaches beyond current formulations and points towards emotional wisdom.

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