Is Democracy a Good Idea?
Democracy is one of the most powerful political ideas in history, and it has inspired some of history’s greatest expressions of human will and intellect. It’s a concept that has drawn the ire of dictatorships and totalitarian regimes seeking to impose their own vision of politics on the world, but it has also inspired some of history’s most profound protests against oppressive rule. Nevertheless, there is a lot of debate about what democracy really is and whether it’s a good idea in the first place.
In general, democracy refers to a form of government where citizens have an equal say in the making of laws and policies. There are a variety of ways to achieve this, including popular referendums and direct elections. In addition, democracy usually entails freedom of speech, association and movement, and laws should be fair and clearly written to protect people’s rights.
Many arguments in favor of democracy are based on the fact that democracy is more likely to result in policies that advance people’s interests than non-democratic regimes. In addition, democracy’s process of deliberation and consultation may uncover social problems that would otherwise go unnoticed.
Moreover, the fact that people are consulted in democratic decision-making makes them more likely to understand and appreciate the perspectives of others. As such, the more informed citizens are in democratic societies, the better they can protect their interests and promote a just and well-functioning society.
The most prominent argument in favor of democracy is based on the fact that it is more likely to produce policies that are more responsive to people’s needs and desires than non-democratic governments are. Despite the fact that it is often difficult to measure how responsive democratic policies are, there is a growing body of evidence that shows that democracies perform better on most measures than autocracies and other forms of non-democratic rule (Bertelsmann Foundation, 2016).
Another important justification for democracy is the fact that the political equality guaranteed by democracy is more fundamental than the individual equality granted by any system of government. In this way, democracy is a necessary condition for the realization of a person’s right to be treated as an equal citizen and as an autonomous agent in a community of self-governing citizens (Dworkin 1996: ch. 6). Citizens who skirt laws made by suitably egalitarian procedures therefore violate their equal right to be treated as full members of a democratic community and thus fail to fulfill their duties to the community as its citizens (Christiano 2008: ch. 8).
Some philosophers have argued that democratic decision-making has beneficial effects on people’s characters as well. For instance, they argue that democracy encourages individuals to stand up for their own interests more than other forms of government do and that it cultivates a more independent character. In addition, they argue that democracy makes people more willing to compromise on controversial issues since they know that their views will be weighed by others in the course of democratic decision-making.
Democracy is one of the most powerful political ideas in history, and it has inspired some of history’s greatest expressions of human will and intellect. It’s a concept that has drawn the ire of dictatorships and totalitarian regimes seeking to impose their own vision of politics on the world, but it has also inspired some of history’s most profound protests against oppressive rule. Nevertheless, there is a lot of debate about what democracy really is and whether it’s a good idea in the first place. In general, democracy refers to a form of government where citizens have an equal say in the making of laws and policies. There are a variety of ways to achieve this, including popular referendums and direct elections. In addition, democracy usually entails freedom of speech, association and movement, and laws should be fair and clearly written to protect people’s rights. Many arguments in favor of democracy are based on the fact that democracy is more likely to result in policies that advance people’s interests than non-democratic regimes. In addition, democracy’s process of deliberation and consultation may uncover social problems that would otherwise go unnoticed. Moreover, the fact that people are consulted in democratic decision-making makes them more likely to understand and appreciate the perspectives of others. As such, the more informed citizens are in democratic societies, the better they can protect their interests and promote a just and well-functioning society. The most prominent argument in favor of democracy is based on the fact that it is more likely to produce policies that are more responsive to people’s needs and desires than non-democratic governments are. Despite the fact that it is often difficult to measure how responsive democratic policies are, there is a growing body of evidence that shows that democracies perform better on most measures than autocracies and other forms of non-democratic rule (Bertelsmann Foundation, 2016). Another important justification for democracy is the fact that the political equality guaranteed by democracy is more fundamental than the individual equality granted by any system of government. In this way, democracy is a necessary condition for the realization of a person’s right to be treated as an equal citizen and as an autonomous agent in a community of self-governing citizens (Dworkin 1996: ch. 6). Citizens who skirt laws made by suitably egalitarian procedures therefore violate their equal right to be treated as full members of a democratic community and thus fail to fulfill their duties to the community as its citizens (Christiano 2008: ch. 8). Some philosophers have argued that democratic decision-making has beneficial effects on people’s characters as well. For instance, they argue that democracy encourages individuals to stand up for their own interests more than other forms of government do and that it cultivates a more independent character. In addition, they argue that democracy makes people more willing to compromise on controversial issues since they know that their views will be weighed by others in the course of democratic decision-making.