Democracy as a universal value. (PDF) Democracy as a Universal Value 2022-10-08
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Democracy is a form of government in which power is held by the people, either directly or through elected representatives. It is a system that is founded on the principle of popular sovereignty, the idea that the authority of the state is derived from the will of the people.
The concept of democracy has a long history, dating back to ancient civilizations such as Athens in Greece. However, it was not until the Enlightenment and the American and French Revolutions that the principles of democracy began to be widely embraced as a universal value.
One of the key features of democracy is the idea of political equality. This means that all citizens have an equal say in the decision-making processes of the state and that no individual or group is privileged over others. This is achieved through the process of free and fair elections, in which citizens can choose their leaders and hold them accountable for their actions.
Another important aspect of democracy is the protection of individual rights and freedoms. In a democratic society, citizens are guaranteed certain fundamental rights, such as freedom of expression, religion, and assembly. These rights are often codified in a constitution or other legal document and are meant to ensure that the state cannot arbitrarily infringe upon the liberties of its citizens.
However, democracy is not a perfect system and it is not without its challenges. One of the main criticisms of democracy is that it can be susceptible to the influence of money and special interests. In some cases, wealthy individuals or organizations may be able to use their financial resources to sway the outcomes of elections or to influence the decisions of elected officials. This can lead to a situation in which the interests of a small group are prioritized over the will of the broader population.
Despite these challenges, democracy remains a widely-valued form of government and is seen as the cornerstone of modern liberal societies. It is a system that is based on the belief that all citizens have the right to participate in the political process and to have their voices heard. As such, it is a universal value that is embraced by people around the world and is considered essential for the promotion of justice, equality, and freedom.
[PDF] Democracy as a Universal Value
I've been to most of those places. The demands of democracy Democracy has complex demands, which certainly includes voting and respect for election results, but it also requires the protection of liberties and freedoms, respect for legal entitlements, and the guaranteeing of free discussions and uncensored distribution of news and fair comment. When they engage in decision-making, they are required to listen to others, to explain themselves to others, and to think in part in terms of the interests of others. Whether it's by corruption, ignorance, or actual malace, concentration of power not only increases the potential but also the probability of abuse. Famines are easy to prevent if there is a serious effort to prevent them, and a government of a democratic country--facing elections and criticisms from opposition parties and independent newspapers--cannot but make a serious effort to prevent famines. Heterogeneity of values seems to characterize most, perhaps all, major cultures.
Then ask yourself, if you dare: just what part of the world have we saved? There is a plurality of virtues here, including, first, the intrinsic importance of political participation and freedom in human life; second, the instrumental importance of political incentives in keeping governments responsible and accountable; and third, the constructive role of democracy in the formation of values and in the understanding of needs, rights, and duties. The skills needed to win office include being able to raise vast amounts of money, design clever campaign commercials, and give empty speeches that stir emotion but little thought. Project MUSE Mission Project MUSE promotes the creation and dissemination of essential humanities and social science resources through collaboration with libraries, publishers, and scholars worldwide. And these wants are often not what the society actually needs to progress. The cultural argument does not foreclose, nor indeed deeply constrain, the choices we can make today.
Many have observed, as Mill and Rousseau did Mill, 1861 cited in Goodin, 2013 that democracy encourages people to speak up for themselves rather than other forms of government because it places more reliance on them than monarchy or aristocracy. The New Republic, 14-21 July 1997. The past hundred years are not lacking in important events. . . We saw the rise and fall of fascism and Nazism.
JP and KT: please carry on---this blog could one day be legendary. If values do not sprout from metaphysical layers, how can we go about identifying them? Not surprisingly, while India continued to have famines under British rule right up to independence the last famine was in 1943 , they disappeared suddenly, after independence, with the establishment of a multi-party democracy with a free press. Democracy is hard, perhaps the most complex and difficult of all forms of government. The protective role of democracy is strongly missed when it is most needed. Successful countries such as the United States and Great Britain are based upon such democratic ideals. If you are not willing to give up direct democracy, then at least make your legislature part time.
The cultural argument does not foreclose, nor indeed deeply constrain, the choices we can make today. Sen believes that democracy provides political freedom, increases the influence people have on the government, and helps societies form values. Democracy is a demanding system, and not just a mechanical condition like majority rule taken in isolation. Not surprisingly, while India continued to have famines under British rule right up to independence the last famine, which I witnessed as a child, was in 1943, four years before independence , they disappeared suddenly with the establishment of a multiparty democracy and a free press. Western civilization is no exception. Participant interviews were coded and analyzed using a content analysis approach. Freedom implies more than we are willing to allow.
Amartya Sen és economista i filòsof. I shall return to criticisms again, taking up the arguments of the cultural critics in particular, but the time has come for me to pursue further the positive analysis of what democracy does and what may lie at the base of its claim to be a universal value. All of these things enrich the lives of citizens and increase their quality of life 5. The Clash of Civilizations, 69. Nothing much has changed since 1969. Overtime, it has superseded the concept of power through divine right, thus allowing the general public to have a say regarding the laws of society. Therefore, democracy must be considered a universal value.
Analysis of "Democracy as a Universal Value" by Amartya Sen
Achieving Democracy and Equality This paper shows why both democracy and equality are desirable, and why democracy, in its true sense, is an important step to achieve greater equality. The suicide bomber wants to secure a luxurious aternal life in paradise by killing fellow humans. These positive results are considered to be valuable in and of themselves, so they count in favor of democracy and against other forms of government Mill 1991 in Elster 2012. A general relation of this kind cannot be established on the basis of very selective evidence. The great philosopher and statesman, Winston Churchill, noted, "democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time. Diversity within each culture The monolithic interpretation of Asian values as hostile to democracy and political rights does not bear critical scrutiny.
Other forms of government can work, but democracy hopefully inhibits the ability of power to centralize and produce inevitable detriment. The governmental response to the acute suffering of people often depends on the pressure that is put on it. . Nobel laureate in economics, Amartya Sen, suggests that despite the plethora of events that occurred in the twentieth century, ultimately, he would have no hesitation in choosing the most pre-eminent development among them: the growth of democracy. Give us your tired, your poor; your huddled masses yearning to breathe free; the wretched refuse of your teeming shore although that third stanza has raised some ire of late. Acts of consent for a governing body are democratic acts; therefore individuals who are in favor of their government are, by definition, participating in a Democracy. .
