The Open Society and Its New Enemies

Abstract

This paper elaborates on two classical theories of “Open Society,” i.e. Henri Bergson’s and Karl Popper’s. It outlines their differences, qualities, and limits. It provides some suggestions about the new enemies of open society in a globalized world, that these new enemies are identified in fanaticism which appears as religious fundamentalism, closed nationalism and political populism. Open society is characterized by the critical use of reason, freedom and tolerance.