Chantal Mouffe's *On the Political* (2005) offers a distinctive interpretation of late modern politics, emphasizing the ineradicable problem of 'antagonism' and its transformation into 'agonism' through democratic politics. The book combines post-structuralist insights on identity and Carl Schmitt's 'friend/enemy' relation to define 'the political' as the constant possibility of violent conflict. Mouffe argues that the challenge for democratic politics is to transform antagonism into agonism by giving ideological conflicts legitimate forms of expression within a shared symbolic space. She critiques theories of consensus and risk society, arguing that they fail to account for the adversarial dimension of politics. Mouffe also discusses the rise of right-wing populism and the moralization of politics in international relations, and proposes a multi-polar world order to ensure pluralism in global politics. The book is thought-provoking but raises questions about the sustainability of the Left/Right distinction and the strategic nature of transforming antagonism into agonism.Chantal Mouffe's *On the Political* (2005) offers a distinctive interpretation of late modern politics, emphasizing the ineradicable problem of 'antagonism' and its transformation into 'agonism' through democratic politics. The book combines post-structuralist insights on identity and Carl Schmitt's 'friend/enemy' relation to define 'the political' as the constant possibility of violent conflict. Mouffe argues that the challenge for democratic politics is to transform antagonism into agonism by giving ideological conflicts legitimate forms of expression within a shared symbolic space. She critiques theories of consensus and risk society, arguing that they fail to account for the adversarial dimension of politics. Mouffe also discusses the rise of right-wing populism and the moralization of politics in international relations, and proposes a multi-polar world order to ensure pluralism in global politics. The book is thought-provoking but raises questions about the sustainability of the Left/Right distinction and the strategic nature of transforming antagonism into agonism.