Disappointment is a familiar experience of political life and often blame for perceived
political failure is rightly attributed to the failures of our politicians or the political system.
The aim of this paper, however, is to argue that disappointment is an inevitable feature of
politics because of limitations and constraints that are intrinsic to the political sphere. With
this in mind the paper explores some of the ways in which political conflict unavoidably
generates disappointment, how it shapes the specific manner in which its corollary of hope
and the discourse of hope operates in the political sphere, and how disappointment relates
to questions of political unity. Appreciating the inevitability of disappointment should both
help overcome some of the prevalent illusions regarding political possibility, as well as
calm our discontent with politics by adapting our expectations and assessment of political
life accordingly.
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)