1101GIR Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Newsnight, Ostracism, Liberal Democracy
4 May 2018
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L4. Democracy
The Birth of Democracy
• 'Athens: Dawn of Democracy': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xtn-BZH_xU0
History
• Democracy begins with a challenge that civilians (mob) can't rule themselves
o 250-year experiment in Athens
o Democracy comes with the emergence of revolutionary power where ordinary people
decide that they can rule themselves
• Accounts of ancient democracy
o Eulogy for democracy (in praise of democracy) from the great leader of Athens
• Funeral was focused on ideals and values of the men that laid their lives down
▪ Core principles of democracy
• 2,500 years ago
• System of government unique from its neighbours
▪ Revolutionary
• Power is in the hands of the 'whole people'
• Everyone is equal before the law
• Membership of political classes is irrelevant
• No one can be excluded from politics due to poverty
• Mentions non-interference in other nations
• Each individual is interested in state affairs, not just their own affairs
▪ Everyone is extremely aware of politics
▪ Immense political engagement
• Peculiar in ancient world
• Characterises democracy
▪ Taking no interest in politics is not 'minding your own business' but has no
place in democracy
• Democracy requires citizens to put public responsibilities above
personal ones
• Worst thing is to rush into action before a debate of consequences
▪ Democracy is about deliberation and debate
▪ Decisions are good to the extent that they are deliberated and debated
▪ Proper discussion leads to making better decisions
▪ Emphasises the difference between 'decisive leaders' and political
deliberation
• Dispels belief that politicians are making decisions above the level of
ordinary people
• Decisions of war and peace are complex and cannot be well taken by
an individual or small group
• Need for more perspectives
o Aristotle (not a fan of democracy)
• Rule of majority is a problem
▪ Majority is poor and this will affect the elite and those who own property
• Rule of all over each and of each over all in turn
▪ Rulership is not being left to professionals
▪ Each citizen participates equally in ruling
• Elections are based from aristocracy
▪ You elect the best over the worst
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• This is not democratic
• Democracy is ruling and being ruled in turn
• This is a political system where everyone does not have an equal turn
in ruling
• The system appeals to being better than others
• Leaving people in office for too long can create a love for power and resistance to
release this power
▪ No one can hold the same office twice
• This excludes generals
• Because the art of war requires the elite to be in power
▪ Short terms in order to prevent power addiction
• Prevents people being dominated
• People in offices do not have sovereign power
▪ Cannot overrule the citizens' assembly
▪ Strict accountability for authority
• Birth, wealth and education are defining
▪ This resembles oligarchy
▪ Power is dependent on these
▪ Opposites to these are regarded as democratic
• Political systems run by and for working people are democratic
• Principles are essential for the creation of political institutions
▪ Lack of understanding of principles can create unsuccessful or inadequate
institutions
• E.g. Today's governments
• Idea in civilisation that the best are the few and the worst are the many is really
stubborn and was fundamentally important in the ancient world
▪ Distinction between the elite and the ordinary
• The elite are better and ordinary people are worse
• Fundamental prejudice
▪ History was written by the elite
▪ Important to make sure that ordinary people don't come too close to power
• Fear of elite
• Two principles
▪ Importance of equal right of speech, but hearing from people who are brave
enough to tell the truth are also essential
• Democracy has a problem with truth
▪ Isegoria
• Equal right of speech
• Prevention of demagogues
▪ Parrhesia
• Courage of truth
• Risk of criticism
• Requires immense bravery to dispute popular opinion
• Make you unpopular
• Very dangerous
• Death of Socrates
• Failure of this
• Plato's problems with democracy
• Was a student of Socrates
• Democracy kills off wisdom due to inconvenient
truths
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
