Democratic Theory A Christopher Rice digital file

“ DON’T NEED ELECTION” “ It seems to me that Vice President Al Gore is out of control. He is prepared to spend more than $40 million on a campaign that the American people don’t want. The polls clearly show that the people want Texas Gov. George W. Bush for the next president. Why would Gore put the country through all of the political ads and commercials when the people have spoken through the polls? I think Congress should take the message the American people have sent to them and appoint Bush as president. Then they could get back to issues that are important, like Social Security and health care. I know some people might say that we must have elections because the law says so, but this could put the business of the American people on hold for some time. Is that what we want? I say it’s time to appoint Bush and put this behind us.” – Randy Martin, Lexington. Lexington Herald-Leader (2000)

Demos + Kratia = “Rule by the People”

3 Flavors of Democracy

Revisionist (Elite) Democracy Representative Democracy Direct (Participatory) Democracy

New England Town Meetings

Iowa Caucuses

Athens (Greece, not Fayette Co.)

ENLIGHTENMENT

HOW? (cc) 2006 by Flickr user tony.eckersley

More Informed (cc) 2006 by Flickr user Mathias L.

Sense of Responsibility Photo (cc) 2005 by Flickr user monkeyc.net

Political Tolerance Photos (cc) 2007 by flickr user That Other Paper (Austin, TX)

Mo’ Democracy Mo’ Problems

Scale

Leisure

Representative Democracy

“ Rule by the Few, Controlled by the Many”

Delegate Representation

3 Fundamental Principles

Principle #1: Popular Sovereignty

How do we know it when we see it? (cc) 2007 by Flickr user Eduardo Cruz

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Policies reflect what the people want (cc) 2007 by Flickr user Cesar R

People participate in the political process

High quality info and debate available (The Jon Stewart Principle)

Majority Rules Photo (cc)2006 by Flickr user jjn1

Government Leaders Selected in Competitive Elections

Elections Are Free and Fair

Principle #2: Political Equality

1 Person = 1 Vote

Assumes equal moral agency and reason

Mo’ Money Mo’ Problems “ That’s more like it…”

It’s a Distribution Problem…

Principle #3: Political Liberty

Political Liberty Basic freedoms in the formation and expression of the popular will & its translation into policy.

First Amendment Freedoms

Without Political Liberty, the other principles can’t function!

Why does your generation hate America?

Politically Tolerant Politically Active Informed (Delegate Representation) Rational Fairly Sophisticated Assumptions

Problems

Scale / Population

Complexity of Issues

Are High Quality Info & Debate Available?

Are people really rational and competent?

Majority Tyranny?

Revisionist (Elite) Democracy

Instability due to unrealistic assumptions

Downgrading role of masses Upgrading role of elites

Hedging on government responsiveness

The masses are asses

Irrational

Politically Intolerant

Low participation among the masses

Trustee Representation Delegate Representation

Limiting the impact of universal participation…

Constitutional Barriers

Apathy is A -O K !

Increased participation costs

The American Creed

Values of the American Creed

Individualism a commitment to personal initiative, self-sufficiency and material accumulation

Unity & Diversity

Unity the principle that Americans are one people and form an indivisible union

Diversity the idea that individual and group differences should be respected AND that these differences are themselves a sort of strength

E pluribus unum

Commitment to rule of law under a constitution

Aka, The Constitutional Strand

Commitment to rule of law under a constitution The idea that fundamental law should serve as a restraint on human behavior

America’s Core Political Ideals

Liberty the belief that individuals should be free to act and think as they choose, provided they do not infringe unreasonably on the freedom and well-being of others.

Equality the belief that all individuals are equal in their moral worth and are entitled to equal treatment under the law

Self-government the belief that the people are the ultimate source of governing authority and must have a voice in how they are governed

Fundamental ideas behind the “Core Values”

17 th Century Protestantism

Primacy of the individual conscience

Close connection between the spirit of liberty and the spirit of religion

Role of the congregation as voluntary association

Importance of democracy within the church and its implications

18 th Century Enlightenment Ideas (John Locke)

Equality as a basis for organizing society

Principal Elements of the American Creed Source of political power is the people All governments are limited by the law and the people Local government is to be preferred to national government The majority is wiser than the minority

Principal Elements of the American Creed Source of political power is the people All governments are limited by the law and the people Local government is to be preferred to national government The majority is wiser than the minority

Principal Elements of the American Creed Source of political power is the people All governments are limited by the law and the people Local government is to be preferred to national government The majority is wiser than the minority

Principal Elements of the American Creed Source of political power is the people All governments are limited by the law and the people Local government is to be preferred to national government The majority is wiser than the minority

Principal Elements of the American Creed The individual has sacred rights The Less Government the Better Competitive Individualism Free Enterprise

Principal Elements of the American Creed The individual has sacred rights The Less Government the Better Competitive Individualism Free Enterprise

Principal Elements of the American Creed The individual has sacred rights The Less Government the Better Competitive Individualism Free Enterprise

Equality of Opportunity NOT Equality of Result

Principal Elements of the American Creed The individual has sacred rights The Less Government the Better Competitive Individualism Free Enterprise

Private consumption over public provision Private over public initiatives

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The American Creed is NOT an ideology

Liberty vs. Equality

Problems

Nearly unanimous support when it is painted in broad strokes. Support falls off when we get into specifics.

Consensus is broadest among those most active in the system and who benefit from it the most

Populism Hostility of the common person to power and the powerful

2 Flavors

liberal populism

conservative populism