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Book No. – 002 (Political Science)
Book Name – Political Theory (Rajeev Bhargava)
What’s Inside the Chapter? (After Subscription)
1. INTRODUCTION
2. THE CONCEPT
3. DIRECT PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY
4. LIBERAL DEMOCRACY
4.1. Protective Democracy
4.2. John Stuart Mill and Developmental Democracy
4.3. Policy Making and the Pluralist View
5. OBJECTIONS TO DEMOCRACY
6. PERSPECTIVES ON DEMOCRACY
6.1. Socialist View
6.2. Indian Debates on Democracy
6.3. Feminist View
6.4. Deliberative View
7. KEY DEBATES IN DEMOCRATIC THEORY
7.1. Democracy and Difference
7.2. Representation and Participation
7.3. Democracy and Development
7.4. The Scope of Democracy
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LANGUAGE
Democracy
Chapter – 7
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
- The concept of democracy is central to fierce debates in political theory and everyday political discussions.
- This chapter explores how democracy has been conceptualized, defended, and critiqued.
- It discusses the evolution of democracy, various criticisms against it, and contemporary perspectives in democratic theory.
- The chapter concludes with key debates that characterize democratic theory today.
- Collective decision-making is an important aspect of everyday life, whether in groups of friends or family.
- Example: In a group of ten friends, seven want to see a movie and three want to visit an art exhibition. What should the group decide to do?
- Example: In a university class of thirty students, 25 agree on a date for a debate, but five students have unavoidable reasons for not being available. Should the decision follow the majority or consider the five students?
- These situations raise questions about how to judge whether decisions are fair or the best possible.
- The idea of democracy provides a basis for making such judgments by ensuring that decisions reflect the wishes of those affected by them.
- There are other ways of making decisions, such as a father deciding the family vacation without consulting others or a teacher unilaterally choosing the debate topic or date.
- Advocates of democracy argue that decisions should be made by reflecting the preferences of all members in the group.
- Democracy is both a method for collective decision-making and a set of values and behaviours that people adopt when making decisions.
THE CONCEPT
- The question of how a political community should arrive at collective decisions and who should rule is central to democratic theory.
- Democracy is now universally accepted, with even military juntas, dictators, and monarchs claiming to be democrats.
- The positive value of democracy is relatively recent; it was once associated with mob-rule and inefficient governments.
- The term democracy translates as ‘rule by the people’, but questions arise about who the people are, how they rule, and through what institutions.
- There are varied views on the nature, purpose, extent, effectiveness, and desirability of democratic rule, leading to various types of democracy.
- Democracy is often considered an “adjectival concept” due to the numerous models like liberal, social, direct, indirect, radical, deliberative, pluralist, and elitist.
- At the heart of all democratic theories is the concept of popular power, where power and authority rest with the people.
- A democratic government contrasts with an authoritarian government, where decisions are imposed without consent.
- Democracy ensures the accountability of those in power to the people, who are the source of power, and the legitimacy of government rests on the consent of the people.
- The question of consent is tied to participation; how much participation is desirable?
- In direct democracy, citizens participate directly in decision-making, as seen in the Athenian model and modern practices like gram sabhas, referenda, initiative, and recall.
- In indirect (representative) democracy, representatives are chosen through elections to link governments and people, allowing control over representatives to prevent abuse of power.
- Liberal democracy is a form of representative government.
- Democracy is based on political equality, with the principle of ‘one person, one vote’, reflecting the belief in the equal moral worth of all individuals.
- It opposes hierarchy, inherited privileges, and discrimination.
- Initially, democracy excluded many groups, such as property-owning white men, but gradually extended to educated men, working-class white men, black men, and women, who fought for the right to vote.
- Anti-colonial struggles in Asia and Africa also framed democracy as a fight for self-government.
- Democratic societies assume a diversity of opinions and interests, which is considered a strength and calls for tolerance of differing views.
- A democratic society is an open society, where all voices can be heard, requiring political freedoms such as freedom of expression, association, and movement, which the state must protect.
- People need access to information, the ability to protest, and freedom to criticize the government for making informed, uncoerced choices.
- Equality of political power doesn’t ensure equal influence in decision-making, as there are disparities between, for example, an industrialist and a poor farmer.
- For democracy to be effective, factors that discriminate against certain groups and hinder their participation must be addressed.
- Equality is essential for democracy, and democratic societies must create arrangements that further equality.
- Democracy is sometimes identified with majority rule, which can lead to the oppression of minorities.
- Democracies are also expected to reach a consensus, but this is difficult in plural and unequal societies.
- The issues of equality, participation, representation, and diversity are central to contemporary democratic theory.
- The essay will examine two main models of democratic practice: direct participatory and liberal democratic models.