A review of Woodrow Wilson's reflections on the breakdown of state governance in France during the French revolution compared to United State of America's governance structures based on democracy as a governance phenomenon.

1. “Democracy is
poison to the
infant but tonic to
the man. It is a
form of state life
which is possible
for a nation only
in the adult stage
of its political
development”
A review of
Woodrow Wilson’s
comment on
democracy.
Gibrilla Murray Jusu.
2016

2. SOME
DEFINITIONs
 Democracy is traceable to the ancient Greek
city-state of Athens in the fifth century B.C.
 From the Greek words ‘demos’ meaning
people, and ‘Kratos’ meaning power or rule
 Translated as (people’s power) meaning ‘rule
by the people’
 Although originally the Greeks used it to mean
the poor or the masses.
 Defined by Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg on
19th November 1863 is ‘…government of the
people, by the people, for the people…’
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3. Reflections on democracy
 It is a Complex and controversial governance
phenomenon.
 Its qualities, procedures, institutions and , forms are
 Determined by social, economic and political
circumstances driven by historical, traditional and
cultural factors.
 The range of themes and perspectives on the subject
seem to reflect the inclination of the thinker who
presents it.
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4. The basic paradigms addressed by
commentators
Are that democracy is…
Universal or relative;
A process or a condition; and
A set of methods and modalities with a
substantive outcome.
Of Governance
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5. Woodrow Wilson's statement
 “Democracy is poison to the infant but tonic to the man.
It is a form of state life which is possible for a nation only
in the adult stage of its political development”
 The inference is that state governance is based on
indispensable requirements and conditions that qualify
stages of maturity of a state.
 Essentially, a stage where established state structures
and institutions are managed with laws and policies upon
which good governance subsist.
 The wellbeing of the state is maintained irrespective of
the leader’s disposition.
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6. Woodrow Wilson’s example:
USA vs FRANCE in 1789-1799
Leadership : Andrew Jackson of USA
vs
Maximillein Robespierre of
France.
State Structures: Federalism in USA
vs
Feudalism in France.
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7. While Andrew Jackson’s disposition of
overbearing assertiveness could not defile
stability of a federal government of the USA
while he reigned (1829–37) as the 7th
President.
Maximillein Robespierre’s similar excesses
as exhibited in the ‘reign of terror’ was a
destructive force to feudalism in France
during the revolution.
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8. United States of America had a rigid
constitution which defined the scope of the
three arms of government, protected the
rights of citizens, and ensured that they have
liberty to engage in endeavors without fear.
In France these features were neither
available nor fully explored; instead intrigues
were the order of the day.
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9. References1.Abraham Lincoln Online, 2013. Abraham Lincoln Online speeches and Writings.
[Online]
Available at: http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm
[Accessed 13th October 2013].
2.Ace Project, 1998. Civic and Voter Education. [Online] Available at:
http://aceproject.org/ace-en/topics/ve/vea/vea01 [Accessed 2 November 2013].
3.ageofsage.org, 2013. Age of sage. [Online] Available at: http://www.age-of-the-
sage.org/historical/biography/maximilien_robespierre.htm [Accessed 3 November 2013].
4.Bassiouni, P. C., 1998. Toward a Universal Declaration on the Basic Principles of
Democracy: From Principles to Realization . In: Democracy: Its Principles and
Achievement. Geneva: Inter Parliamentary Union, pp. 1-20.
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10. References
 5.Beetham, P. D., 1998. Democracy: Key Principles ,
Issues and Problems.. In: I. Union, ed. Democracy: Its
Principles and Achievement. Geneva: Inter-Parliamentary
Union, pp. 21-29.
 6.History.com, 1996. HistoryTopics. [Online] Available at:
http://www.history.com/topics/french-revolution
[Accessed 3 November 2013].
 7.Konrad-Adenauer Stiftung , 2011. Concepts and
Principles of Democratic Governance and Accountability.
Aguide for Peer educators.. Kampala: Konrad-Adenauer
Stiftung Office.
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11. References
8.Pestritto, R. J., 2003. History of American Political Thought. In: J. S.
Paul Frost, ed. Woodrow Wilson The Organic State and American
Republicanism. Lanham: Lexington Books, pp. 549-568.
9.Pestritto, R. J., 2005b. Woodrow Wilson and The Roots of Modern
Liberalism. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield (Lexington Books).
10.Pestritto, R. J., 2005. Woodrow Wilson: The Essencial Political
Writtings.Introduced and Selected. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield.
11.Pestritto, R. J., 2012. Natural Rights Individualism and
Progressivism in American Political Philosophy.. In: F. D. M. J. P. Ellen
Frankel Paul, ed. Roosvelt,Wilson and The Democratic Theory of
National Progressivism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp.
318-334.
12.Prestitto, R. J., 2005a. Woodrw Wilson: The Essential Political
Writtings. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Inc. (Lexington
Books).
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12. References
13.Prestitto, R. J., 2005. Woodrow Wilson and the Roots of Modern
Liberalism. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield.
14.Social Science , 2007. Yahoo Answers. [Online] Available at:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070624060431AAWAUC6
[Accessed 13th October 2013].
15.Union, Inter-Parliamentary, 1998. Democracy: Its Principles and
Achievement. Geneva: Inter-Parliamentary Union.
16.Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2013. Woodrw Wilson. [Online]
Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodrow_Wilson [Accessed 12
October 2013].
17.Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars, 2013. Woodrow Wilson.
[Online] Available at: http://www.wilsoncenter.org/about-woodrow-wilson
[Accessed 12 October 2013].
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