Democracy

Gary G. Ador Dionisio

Assistant Professor
SMS – Social Sciences

1
Democracy
I. Key Questions
 Why has democracy come to be
universally well regarded?
 What are the principle virtues of
democracy?
 Would life in a state of nature really be
nasty, brutish and short without
democracy?

2
Democracy
II. Democracy 101
 The history of democracy
is curious; the history of
democracy is puzzling
(Held 2003:223)
 Origins from the word
rooted in Ancient Greece
 Demos (people, poor,
many) + Kratos (power of
rule)
 A system of rule by the
poor and disadvantage

3
Democracy
 A form of government in
which the people rule
themselves directly and
continuously, without the
need to professional
politicians or public
officials.
 A society based on equal
opportunity and individual
merit, rather than
hierarchy and privilege.
 A system of welfare and
redistribution aimed at
narrowing social
inequalities.

4
Democracy
To know the operational meaning of
democracy we have to answer the
following questions
b. Who are the people?
c. In what sense should the people rule?
d. How far should the people rule extend?

5
Democracy
III. Models of Democracy
A. Classical Model
 Political equality for all (for
the community)
 Direct form of Democracy
(Peoples Assembly)
 But according to Plato
based on his book The
Republic, the ‘Govt should
be placed in the hands of
Philosophers King’.

6
Democracy
B. Protective Democracy
(protecting the individual
rights from over mighty
government)
 Aristotle response to Plato
“Who will guard the
guardians”
 Limited and indirect form
of democracy
(representative
democracy)
 John Locke notions of
Natural rights
 Government by consent
7
Democracy
C. Developmental Democracy
 According to Rousseau –
democracy was ultimately
a means through which
human beings could
achieve freedom.
 General will through
participatory democracy
 According to J.S. Mill ‘it
promotes the highest and
harmonious development
of individual capacity’.

8
Democracy
D. Peoples Democracy
 Marx notion of
democracy
 Democracy is not only
political but also
economics
 Democracy liberates
the working class
 All power to the
Soviets (councils)

9
Democracy
IV. Democracy in Practice :
Views of Democracy
B. Pluralist View
 A belief in, or
commitment to diversity
of multiplicity.
 Political pluralism,
moralism and cultural
pluralism.
 Robert Dahl coined the
word Polyarchy which
means rule by many but
not all.

10
Democracy
B. Elitist View of Democracy
 Democracy is best practice
by the Elites
 Society should be ruled by
foxes and lions (Pareto)
 Iron Law of Oligarchy
(Michels)
 Elite ruling is inevitable
because they have the
complete wisdom,
knowledge, skills as
mentioned in the ‘Power
Elite by C. Wright Mills’

11
Democracy
C. Corporatist View
 Idea of Tripartism
(government,
business and
workers).
 Integration of different
interests to achieve
democracy.
D. New Right View
 Democracy Overload
 Democracy is for adult
and chocolate is for
children.
12
Democracy
E. Marxist View on
Democracy
 Real democracy can
only be achieved if
capitalism will be
eliminated.
 Democracy is best
practiced by the
workers or “workers
democracy’.

13
Democracy
V. Conclusion
 Is democracy an important ingredient in a
modern society?

14