PHILO-120 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Liberal Democracy, Bernard Crick, Classical Republicanism
1 Sep 2020
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Document Summary
Aristotelian republicanism tries to persuade people to accept the burdens of democratic citizenship by persuading them that they are not in fact burdens but rather as intrinsically rewarding. People should happily embrace the call of democratic citizenship because the life of an active citizen is indeed the highest life available to us. On this view, political life is superior to the merely private pleasures of family, neighbourhood, and profession and so should occupy the centre of people"s lives. Failure to participate in politics makes one a radically incomplete and stunted being. This view of political participation is difficult to accept. This in fact reflects one of the defining features of modern life, which is expressed in benjamin constant"s famous distinction between ancient and modern freedom. Whereas the ancients sacrificed private liberty to promote political life, moderns view politics as a means and somewhat of a sacrifice needed to protect their private life.
