What is Democracy?

Representation

The term democracy, literally means rule by or on behalf of the people (combining the Greek words demos, meaning “the people,” and kratien, meaning “to rule”). It is usually used to describe a political system where the legitimacy of exercising power stems from the consent of the people. Accordingly, a democratic polity is often identified by the existence of constitutional government, where the power of the leaders is checked and restrained; representative institutions based on free elections, which provide a procedural framework for the delegation of power by the people; competitive parties, in which the ruling majority respects and guarantees the rights of minorities; and civil liberties, such as freedoms of speech, press, association, and religion.

At the heart of democracy in the author’s opinion lay the seeking of truth exemplified by many wise leaders throughout history. One most influential in the West was the Greek philosopher and teacher – Socrates (5th Century BC). Socrates taught by asking his students important questions, such as “What is honesty?” …Through his Socratic method or dialogue, he prompted students to question their own beliefs and assumptions and to use reason to seek the truth. Socrates taught his students to think for themselves. This often led to dialogues. 

The Greek Agora’s were the original places where Senators would meet to debate the issues of the day, it was the forerunner to the inception of democracy.  Today it is representation of the people by the people.  It is to represent the community. It is to serve the community of interests to maintain harmony or what we term ‘social order’, for the highest good of all.

The Rights of Man and Citizen and Bill of Rights

An earlier rights based document influential in the notion of citizen rights was attributed to the French in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen [1]enshrined as follows:

The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen passed by France’s National Constituent Assembly in August 1789, is a fundamental document of the French Revolution and in the history of human and civil rights. The Declaration was directly influenced by Thomas Jefferson, working with General Lafayette, who introduced it. Influenced also by the doctrine of “natural right”, the rights of man are held to be universal: valid at all times and in every place, pertaining to human nature itself. It became the basis for a nation of free individuals protected equally by law. It is included in the preamble of the constitutions of both the Fourth French Republic (1946) and Fifth Republic (1958) and is still current. Inspired in part by the American Revolution, and also by the Enlightenment philosophers, the Declaration was a core statement of the values of the French Revolution and had a major impact on the development of freedom and democracy in Europe and worldwide.[2]

The representatives of the French people, organized as a National Assembly, believing that the ignorance, neglect, or contempt of the rights of man are the sole cause of public calamities and of the corruption of governments, have determined to set forth in a solemn declaration the natural, unalienable, and sacred rights of man, in order that this declaration, being constantly before all the members of the Social body, shall remind them continually of their rights and duties; in order that the acts of the legislative power, as well as those of the executive power, may be compared at any moment with the objects and purposes of all political institutions and may thus be more respected, and, lastly, in order that the grievances of the citizens, based hereafter upon simple and incontestable principles, shall tend to the maintenance of the constitution and redound to the happiness of all.

The Declaration of the Rights of Man, together with the American Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and The Bill of Rights.  The United States Bill of Rights is a document considered to be the basis of liberty and freedom in the world.  The Bill of Rights, together with the abuses of the Second World War inspired the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Universal Rights and Freedoms

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was an attempt to enshrine values in rights and responsibilities for all persons of the world with the overall aim to maintain the peace.  The words in the Preamble clearly enunciate this global vision of unity for the peoples:

• Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,

•  Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,

•  Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,

• Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,

• Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

• Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in cooperation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

• Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge.                          

(Preamble – Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Thus, democracy is not a word but has been derived from the abuses, corruption, coercion of repressive systems of authority that have led to calamities and instability.  Respect for democracy arises from lived principles acknowledging natural rights, human nature, freedom of expression, inalienable rights, resolved grievances, questioning for truth, civil liberties and mutual concern to secure peace and happiness for all.

The legalisation of Welfare through contracts, in the experience of the author, has the potential to remove rights, recourse and render unemployed people outside of citizenship, given differing treatment and the notion of unquestioned compliance based on mutual obligation.  It is through forced unquestioned compliance without full information of rights, that freedoms are curtailed and repressed.  Importantly, if forced measures are not providing mutual gain nor leading to happiness, then what is the point of compliance?

Importantly, is democracy being utilised to focus citizens on the real issues of our time or remain hobbled by old paradigms that are fading fast?

Why is Democracy Important?

It is evident that World leaders and decision makers have been aware for decades of unsustainable life patterns and have been unable to mobilize the collective willingness to change direction in order to ensure and secure a future for the citizens and children to inherit.

The evidence that we must change the way we see and act in the world is overwhelming.  James Speth an environmental advisor to former US Presidents outlines the current environmental situation and our responsibility:

A global crisis has unfolded quickly, and, as in a classic Greek tragedy, we have been told what the future may hold, but so far we seem unable to step from the path to disaster that has been mapped out for us.  The last act is about to begin…  The Royal Society in Britain, supports those who believe that ‘we are standing on the breaking tip of the sixth great wave of extinction in the history of life on earth…it is different…it is caused…by us. [3]

On January 12, 2001, 100 of the World’s Nobel Peace Laureates published a ‘Dire Warning For Planet Earth’ , reinforcing the idea that it is time to change the way we think:

The most profound danger to world peace in the coming years will stem not from the irrational acts of states or individuals but from the legitimate demands of the world’s dispossessed… It is time to turn our backs on the unilateral search for security, in which we seek to shelter behind walls.   Instead, we must persist in the quest for united action to counter both global warming and a weaponised world.  To survive in the world we have transformed, we must learn to think in a new way. As never before, the future of each depends on the good of all. [4]

Democracy in its true essence is to represent the people, allow freedom of expression and facilitate freedoms to ensure a happy life.  It is a form of cooperation and shared concern between the States and its citizens not a social contract in truth.  It is a shared agreement that honest freedoms are in the interests of citizens and Government’s are charged to represent them.  In an ideal version of this all citizens would be fully informed, they would participate in decision making so that the wisdom of the public can be drawn upon, particularly in uncertain times where great upheavals will occur.  We are entering a time of great uncertainty, changing environmental conditions and population growth.  Citizens around the globe are emulating the capitalist system and aspiring to live like the United States which would require 3-4 planets to resource. Thus the materialist paradigm is not viable nor sustainable in the future, so why are we upholding it without introducing gradual change? 

We are witnessing very slow change in Government and rigidities in the business arena where change is clearly hard to make or at the very least, envisage.  Therefore, increasingly democratic participation is the real participation that works, giving people a voice, training people in problems solving, expanding their perception of family beyond self-interest to a shared concern or mutual benefit (as distinct from mutual obligation).  Obligation conveys something one must do as a duty rather than a choice.  Mutual benefit ensures the benefit of others as the same as benefiting self (equal power) as we share the one world, live in the one family in a shared reality.  A new way of perceiving self-interest is now required moving us to shared interest. As a market analyst I saw clearly the wisdom in society that is the untapped resource that will change the future.

It is not in compliance that change occurs, it is through asking the right questions, through questioning rights, that the future expands in a positive direction.