The Political Philosophy of the Dark Knight Trilogy

Abstract

Christopher Nolan once described The Dark Knight as massively subversive, but scholars have been slow to realize just how accurate that confession was. Nolan’s Batman trilogy shows little interest in propagandizing on behalf of ephemeral partisan politics, but its films deeply engage fundamental political questions. Batman Begins explores the violent nature of governance as the wielding of fear and compares three different theories of justice to suggest the virtue is best defined by its fostering of social harmony. The Dark Knight centers on the question: Who rules? Nolan’s masterpiece sharply critiques democratic legitimacy in favor of something more primal: Those who can rule well should. And The Dark Knight Rises explores the nature of the demagogic class struggle most likely to lead to the collapse of social order. These films are not mere entertainment–they also constitute one of our age’s great meditations on power.