Political philosophy: the importance of memory in the public space from the perspective of Hannah Arendt

Abstract

This study examines the significance of memory within contemporary political philosophy, particularly through the lens of Hannah Arendt’s theoretical framework. Arendt argues that historical amnesia undermines democratic institutions and compromises political agency within the public sphere. She posits that memory is fundamental to understanding the past, sustaining the present, and preventing the recurrence of authoritarian regimes. The politics of forgetting often institutionalized serves to obscure traumatic events such as dictatorships, thereby erasing collective struggles and resistance. According to Arendt, the public sphere is where individuals disclose their singularity (the “who”); through action and speech, one can achieve a form of political immortality. Collective memory, therefore, must be preserved and transmitted as a political and identity-based heritage. The text critiques mechanisms such as amnesty and historical revisionism, which enable the manipulation and erasure of historical facts. Conversely, remembrance strengthens democratic values and restores agency to victims of repression. In an era marked by denialism and the proliferation of disinformation, the recovery of historical memory becomes an act of resistance and a reaffirmation of truth, justice, and human dignity. Thus, resisting collective forgetting emerges as a crucial endeavor for safeguarding freedom and the integrity of the democratic public sphere.