Democracy
Introduction
Stimulus
The stimulus is clear and passionate defence of democracy. Firstly, the person who spoke those
words was one of the few elected rulers in the world.
It is clear in his statement how he wishes for this experiment of democracy to succeed and prove
other positions wrong.
Democracy
Today, though, democracy is the dominant political system in Western nations and has therefore
not been truly scrutinized in many years.
Because Lincoln’s words remind us of this historical debate, they inevitably encourage the critical
response that we risk losing.
Therefore, the choice to analyse positions antagonistic to democracy is not born from hatred of said
idea, but rather to avoid that democracy becomes what Mill calls “dead dogma”: we must challenge
our ideas in order to remind ourselves of why we defend them and to motivate ourselves to do so.
Indeed, many such challenges have been offered in the past, two of which will be analysed and
evaluated in this essay.
Definition and Question
The final sentence of the stimulus is probably the most important: is provides a definition of
democracy as made up of members of the citizenry, of the people, legitimised by the will of the
population, by the people, and designed for the benefit of the populace, for the people.
The involvement of the people is in fact the key of democracy, as well as the main point of
discussion: is it truly a good idea for the people to have the power?
Coherence of Democracy
Majority Rule and Democratic Consideration of Individuals
Before we discuss criticisms of democracy, though, we should address the coherence of this
concept.
Firstly, since when Alexis de Tocqueville and Mill lamented the problem of the “tyranny of the
majority”, there has been competition between the ideas of majority rule and democratic
consideration of individuals.
The former does not account for the tyranny of the majority, allowing even a narrow majority to
make all decisions to the detriment of the minority.
The latter suggest limits to the power of the majority, such as a smaller government and opposition
rights.
Number or Passion
A further problem within this discussion is that of whether the value of a group should be based on
number alone or on the passion of their ideas.
For example, it is unsure whether an apathetic majority should really supersede a passionate and
convinced minority.
Motivation
In addition, there is also a debate regarding voting motivation: some argue that citizens should vote
to favour their own interests, while others say that they should make the best choice for the
common good.
I would argue, though, that it would be impossible to discern a voter’s motivation: one could always
say that he is voting for what he thinks is the common good.
Also, the uncertainty of voter motivation has no negative effect on voting as a method of measuring
the will of the people because, no matter what motivates him, a voter is still making the choice
himself freely.
Plato
Plato’s Guardians
Criticisms of democracy have existed since its most ancient institutional manifestation: Athenian
democracy.
Plato himself was a harsh critic of democracy: in the “Republic” he advocates for another form of
government, led by “guardians “, who were in practice philosopher-kings.
Introduction
Stimulus
The stimulus is clear and passionate defence of democracy. Firstly, the person who spoke those
words was one of the few elected rulers in the world.
It is clear in his statement how he wishes for this experiment of democracy to succeed and prove
other positions wrong.
Democracy
Today, though, democracy is the dominant political system in Western nations and has therefore
not been truly scrutinized in many years.
Because Lincoln’s words remind us of this historical debate, they inevitably encourage the critical
response that we risk losing.
Therefore, the choice to analyse positions antagonistic to democracy is not born from hatred of said
idea, but rather to avoid that democracy becomes what Mill calls “dead dogma”: we must challenge
our ideas in order to remind ourselves of why we defend them and to motivate ourselves to do so.
Indeed, many such challenges have been offered in the past, two of which will be analysed and
evaluated in this essay.
Definition and Question
The final sentence of the stimulus is probably the most important: is provides a definition of
democracy as made up of members of the citizenry, of the people, legitimised by the will of the
population, by the people, and designed for the benefit of the populace, for the people.
The involvement of the people is in fact the key of democracy, as well as the main point of
discussion: is it truly a good idea for the people to have the power?
Coherence of Democracy
Majority Rule and Democratic Consideration of Individuals
Before we discuss criticisms of democracy, though, we should address the coherence of this
concept.
Firstly, since when Alexis de Tocqueville and Mill lamented the problem of the “tyranny of the
majority”, there has been competition between the ideas of majority rule and democratic
consideration of individuals.
The former does not account for the tyranny of the majority, allowing even a narrow majority to
make all decisions to the detriment of the minority.
The latter suggest limits to the power of the majority, such as a smaller government and opposition
rights.
Number or Passion
A further problem within this discussion is that of whether the value of a group should be based on
number alone or on the passion of their ideas.
For example, it is unsure whether an apathetic majority should really supersede a passionate and
convinced minority.
Motivation
In addition, there is also a debate regarding voting motivation: some argue that citizens should vote
to favour their own interests, while others say that they should make the best choice for the
common good.
I would argue, though, that it would be impossible to discern a voter’s motivation: one could always
say that he is voting for what he thinks is the common good.
Also, the uncertainty of voter motivation has no negative effect on voting as a method of measuring
the will of the people because, no matter what motivates him, a voter is still making the choice
himself freely.
Plato
Plato’s Guardians
Criticisms of democracy have existed since its most ancient institutional manifestation: Athenian
democracy.
Plato himself was a harsh critic of democracy: in the “Republic” he advocates for another form of
government, led by “guardians “, who were in practice philosopher-kings.
