Part(3) Principle for a Free Socieity DEMOCRACY

[William M. Finley]

PART(3) Principles for a Free Society DEMOCRACY

B y Nigel Ashford

Democracy protects freedom

Political power is always open to abuse by those who exercise it.

Democracy is the system most likely to defend the natural rights and

liberties of the people, and prevent such abuse. Aristotle asked the

question in response to Plato’s call for rule by the wisdom of philosophical

guardians. “Who shall guard the guardians?” How can we ensure that

the rulers do not use their power for their own interests rather than that

of the people? The strongest safeguard against abuse is that the people

have the power to remove those in office through elections. It is the

knowledge that they can be removed from positions of power that acts

as the strongest check on the abuse of power by rulers.

The people themselves however can also be a threat to freedom. The

French thinker Alexis de Tocqueville described the greatest danger

from democracy as coming from “the tyranny of the majority.” The

Founding Fathers of the USA were fully aware of the threat to freedom

from all who possess power. Alexander Hamilton wrote in The

Federalist Papers in 1787, “Men love power ...Give all power to the

many, they will oppress the few. Give all power to the few, they will

oppress the many.”

Lord Acton, the British historian, identified the same fault in democracy.

“The one pervading evil of democracy is the tyranny of the majority,

or rather that of the party, not always the majority, that succeeds,

by force or fraud, in carrying elections.” Liberal democracy is therefore

limited democracy, which places limits upon the powers of government

even when exercised with the consent of the majority. The rights of

minorities, and the individual, should be protected.

Democracy promotes the interests of the people

How does one ensure that the interests of the people are promoted and

not just those of the rulers? By regular elections, the politicians know

that, if they neglect the interests of the people, they will be ejected from

office. Jeremy Bentham was the inventor of the concept of utility, now

the basis of modern economics. He wanted “the greatest happiness of the

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greatest number.” He became an advocate of democracy as he saw it as

the only means to ensure that the interests of the people would be served.

Democracy seeks to ensure that interests are maximised. Although not all

can be satisfied, all interests will be considered because everyone is a

potential voter that can contribute to the retention or winning of elective

office. “As the happiness of the people is the sole end of government, so

the consent of the people is the only foundation of it, in reason, morality

and the natural