In Defense of Hatred Free

In this article, I argue that popular hatred of elites is a good accountability mechanism and increases the legitimacy of the state. I draw on Machiavelli to make this case. In order to clarify my defense of hatred, I criticize the ontological enmity of Carl Schmitt and Samuel P. Huntington. For them, hatred is mobilized to consolidate state power at the expense of democratic accountability. My analysis of Machiavelli, Schmitt, and Huntington leads to the following conclusion: naming the proper object of hatred is a key component in the fight against oppression.