Arendt on Principles,the Right to Have Rights,and Democracy

Abstract

In her recent article, Sofia Näsström argues that the principle of responsibility provides a “normative basis” both for Hannah Arendt’s notion of the right to have right and for modern democracy. In this response, I argue that, while Näsström raises crucial questions regarding the relationships between principles of action, the right to have rights, and the institutionalization of democracy, she does not always recognize the nuance of Arendt’s insight into these questions.