Democracy
Chapter 7
(Rajeev Bhargava| Political Theory)
POLITICAL SCIENCE
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Democracy
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Table of Contents
- INTRODUCTION
- THE CONCEPT
- DIRECT PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY
- LIBERAL DEMOCRACY
- Protective Democracy
- John Stuart Mill and Developmental Democracy
- Policy Making and the Pluralist View
- OBJECTIONS TO DEMOCRACY
- PERSPECTIVES ON DEMOCRACY
- Socialist View
- Indian Debates on Democracy
- Feminist View
- Deliberative View
- KEY DEBATES IN DEMOCRATIC THEORY
- Democracy and Difference
- Representation and Participation
- Democracy and Development
- The Scope of Democracy
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.