1. The document discusses the views of various ancient Greek philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, and others on politics and participation in democracy. Plato believed the ruler should undergo rigorous training while Aristotle saw man as a political animal. 2. It also examines different political ideologies like left-wing, right-wing, and centrist and provides examples such as communism, liberalism, and conservatism. 3. Active participation is discussed as important in democracy according to the document. It notes democracy requires citizens to vote and engage in discussion, negotiation, and compromise.

1. Politics &
Democracy
Discussant:
Ferdinand D. Salagan, LPT,MA,MPA,PhD
Huminities & Social Sciences Department
Muntinlupa Science High School- Senior High
July 23, 2018
Article “ Politics, You &
Democracy ( Lydia N. Yu-Jose)

2. Nature of Politics
• Some scholars locate politics in a
collectivity. Why?
• Politics ” is at the heart of all collective
social activity, formal and informal, public
and private, in all human groups,
institutions and societies…
Ferdinand D.

3. Three Basic Attributes Towards
Politics
Lydia N. Yu-Jose
Ferdinand D.

4. 1. Active Participation• In ancient Greece, the
prevalent attitude towards the
state was active involvement
& direct rule by the citizen.
• Plato ( 427-347 B.C.)
criticized Athenian democracy
and taught his disciples that
statesmanship was an
occupation not meant for just
anyone. The ruler had to go
through rigorous physical,
mental, and moral training.
“The measure of a
man is what he does
with power.” – Plato
Ferdinand D.

5. 1. Active Participation
• “Every citizen was part of the state, but not
all could rule” . Some would just perform
jobs necessary for the economic needs of
the state, others for defense, and others
for actual ruling.
Ferdinand D.

6. What is the implication of
Platonic idea in democracy?
• “ active participation of the Platonic state,
but it is one of actively performing the role
assigned to each one by the state.”
• The role making decisions for everyone is
monopolized by the ruler, and Plato would
have like this ruler to be a philosopher-
king.
Ferdinand D.

7. What is the implication of
Platonic idea in democracy?
• For Plato- a true philosopher would rather
philosophize than rule.
• So, what is the tentative solution to this
dilemma?
• … to have a rule of law
• … to have a nocturnal council that will
serve as watchdog, 24 hrs a day, to see to
it that good laws are made and obeyed.
Ferdinand D.

8. Ombudsman as Watchdog of all
government actions
Major Functions
Ferdinand D.

9. Independence of the Office of
the Ombudsman
Ferdinand D.

10. Corollary to this view:
• Whether a philosopher-king or
nocturnal council, or whether it is the
rule of law, Plato is not democratic
because he does not allow active
participation in decision making by those
who rule
Ferdinand D.

11. Aristotle
 A student of Plato
 “ Man is a political animal. A
man who lives alone is either
a Beast or a God”
― Aristotle, Politics
 “...it is all wrong that a
person who is going to be
deemed worthy of the office
should himself solicit it... for
no one who is not ambitious
would ask to hold office.”
― Aristotle, Politics
 He was more concerned about the
rule of law.
 He recognized that depending on the
social makeup of a city-state, its
government could be the rule of a
king( monarchy), the rule of a few
nobles ( aristocracy), or the rule of
the many who are poor (democracy),
but what was that no one, not even
the ruler, were above the law.
Ferdinand D.

12. Aristotle
Ferdinand D.
 Aristotle and Plato criticized participatory, direct
democracy of Athens.
 Aristotle favored a polity or a mixed
government, where there were elements
of monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy.
 He had a limited idea of citizen
participation, but at least, there is
accountability, an important component of
modern democracy.
 For Aristotle- ”citizens may not actually
rule, but they should be vigilant and see if
the government is performing well or not”.

13. Rejection
• Skeptics or
Epicureans
 Believed that the affairs of the
state were not their business
and not worth their attention
 For as long as the state could
protect them and their
property, that was enough.
 For them, the best kind of
government was monarchy
because they did not have to
participate.

14. Rejection
• Cynics  Believed so much on the
rationality and morality of
individuals as they rejected the
need for the state.
 For them, the wise human
being could attain his goal
without the state.
 If you do not vote because you
do not think anyone of the
candidates is worth your vote;
if you refuse to join in anti-gov’t
rallies because you believe
that your life will not get any
better;
 If you do not care about
politics because you believe
only you can help yourself…

15. Indifference
• Stoics were of
two kinds:
 Submissive Stoic- accepted any
kind of rule, even a tyrannical one,
because he believes that the tyrant
could harm him only physically, not
morally or spiritually.
 He would abide by immoral law
because it was his fate to be under
such an immoral rule, but for as
long as he knew what was wrong &
what was right, his soul is intact.

16. Indifference
• Rebellious
Stoics
 Rebellious Stoic- would fight for
what his conscience dictated, even
if it meant physical harm, even
death.
 What was important was the
freedom of his soul.
 He was indifferent to the pain
that his action would bring him.
 Rebellious Stoics are those who
goes to the streets defending
freedom of expression
 He believes that no physical or
material means available to the
state can harm him because these
tools of torture do not reach his
soul.

17. Indifference
• Stoics were of
two kinds:
 Rebellious Stoics
uncompromisingly fights for
principles
 Never mind if the senator who
sponsored the law suppression
is your party mate; never mind if
it would mean being arrested
and imprisoned.

18. Skepticism, Cynicism, &
Stoicism
• became prevalent
during the age of
Macedonian & Roman
Empires
• Huge size of empire-
state was a cause of
alienation
Macedonian
Empire

19. What might be the implication of skepticism, cynicism &
stoicism in developing the feeling of being alienated to the
state?
• An individual develops a feeling of being left out and for
him/her to escape from the affairs of the state.
• To stay out of it and depend on one’s own resources,
like what the Cynics thought was the right thing to do;
• To come to the state for protection of life & property, and
to avoid any participation in it, like what the Skeptics and
Epicureans thought was the right thing to do.

20. Political Ideology
• Ideology is a comprehensive
system of belief of political, social
and economic institutions.
• Political Ideology serves as the
foundation for political &
economic practices of a particular
polity/state as to the
understanding their mode of
politics and how they deal with
politics

21. Political Ideology
• Ideology - ideals, beliefs and
nature of the political party which
form their economic policies.
(https://sriramgurujala.com/what-is-a-ideology-political-ideologies-
followed-throughout-the-world/)

22. 3 Classifications of Ideologies

23. 3 Classifications of Ideologies
 Right-wing ideology says that certain social
orders and hierarchies are inevitable, natural. This
Ideology typically supports natural law, economics or
tradition.
 Right Wing Ideology is a very conservative
approach. A belief system which says that one should
not forget their roots and should believe in the
traditional methods and looks at the things the way
they are to bring out the logic but not question the
existence.
 (https://sriramgurujala.com/what-is-a-ideology-
political-ideologies-followed-throughout-the-world/)

24. 3 Classifications of Ideologies
 Rightist – looks backward and
usually means a more a more
pessimistic view of human nature
and conviction that is important to
maintain tradition and order.
 -Vidar, Mark Kevin A. ; Paet, Elenita R. (2015) p. 10

25. 3 Classifications of Ideologies
 Leftist ideology – looks forward and is used
for ideologies that take a positive side of human
nature and demonstrate a conviction that
changes and progress are necessary and
possible to human nature.
 -Vidar, Mark Kevin A. ; Paet, Elenita R. (2015) p. 10

26. 3 Classifications of Ideologies
Left Wing: Socialist Ideology is the
best way to define the Left-wing ideology.
These people believe in equality for all
and form radical, socialist and reform
groups.
Left wingers normally follow higher tax
rates on the wealthy and government
spending on social programs,
infrastructure and subsidized programs.
(https://sriramgurujala.com/what-is-a-ideology-political-ideologies-
followed-throughout-the-world/)

27. 3 Classifications of Ideologies
Centrists ( Center- Wing) delves
on the idea of liberty, equality,
and capitalist free enterprise
economy.
Centrist are the moderators in a
political spectrum
 Political Spectrum – is used as a
visualization of the political ideologies.
 It depicts the degree or score,
direction, and method of change
among political ideologies.

28. 3 Classifications of Ideologies
Centrists ( Center- Wing) are the
most confused ideologies, usually support
equal opportunity and economic freedom.
They will generally lean conservative on
economic issues and lean liberal on social
issues.
(https://sriramgurujala.com/what-is-a-ideology-political-ideologies-
followed-throughout-the-world/)

29. Ilustration of Political Spectrum
RightistCentristsLeftist
Communism/
Social
Democracy
Liberalism Conservatism Anarchy/
Facism/ Nazism

30. Leftist
• 1. Communism aims for
a classless society of
abundance and absolute
freedom wherein people enjoy
fair social, political and
economic status.
• Most communist governments
are employing coercive and
authoritative rule that
undermines the working class
to preserve their own hold on
power

31. Leftist
• 2. Social Democracy
includes a level of socialism
but including such values as
private property and
representative government

32. Centrists
• 1. Liberalism arose
during the Enlightenment period
advocated by famous political
thinkers like John Locke, Adam
Smith & John Stuart Mill.
• They believed that human beings
are rational and equal and a small &
limited government is best whereas
government rules with the consent
of the governed through which
election is exercised

33. Centrists
• 2. Conservatism
embraces the thought of social
cynicism where the imperfections of
human nature are source cause of
social deficiencies.
• Not even one social system or
structures of government can ever
fix imperfections of the society
because they are mere
manifestations of the instinctive
imperfect nature of man.

34. Rightist
• 1. Facism an ideology
opposed to liberalism, socialism,
conservatism and communism
because they bring economic
depression, political betrayal,
national weakness, and moral
decline.
• It is an aggressively nationalistic
ideology.

35. Rightist
• 1. Facist ideology is
totalitarian, meaning a political
system that controls every aspect of
life, so that there is no private
sphere of independent organization.
• The term was coined in 1919 by the
Italian dictator Benito Mussolini from
the word “fasces” which means
individually weak but collectively
strong.

36. Rightist
• 1. Facist ideology
• Mussolini argued that citizens are
empowered when they are
subordinated to the state. By blindly
obeying the state, they helped the
state thrive, which benefited them.
• To Mussolini, this distinguished the
facist state from repressive
authoritarian governments, which
sought to crush people and not to
empower them

37. Rightist
• 2. Nazism
• Adolf Hitler was the brainchild of
the political ideology. He believed
that it is wrong to govern people
who do not belong to the same
racial ancestry.

38. Rightist
• 2. Nazism
• This ideology was supported by the
book authored by Hitler entitled “Mein
Kampf” (1924). The title means “ My
Struggle” and it expounds Hitler’s anti-
Semitism, worship of power, scorn for
morality, and plan for domination.
• The book stipulates that the blood of
the highest race must be kept pure
from intermingling with other races if
human culture is to advance; corruption
of blood leads to the destruction of
culture.

39. Rightist
• 3. Anarchism
• It is a political theory that is opposed
to all forms of government in the world.
• Anarchism believes in the principle that
the highest attainment of the society is
the liberty of individuals to express
them, unimpeded by any form of
domination or any tyrannical control
from without.
• They furthermore believe that the
perfection of the society will not be
achieved until they get rid of all
governments and each individuals is
left absolutely free.

40. Participation &
Democracy
• “ Active participation
most of the time, if not
always, is a must in a
state like in the
Philippines that claims
to be democratic”.
Active Involvement

41. Participation &
Democracy
• “ In democratic nation-
states people “rule” in
the sense that the laws
should be in
accordance with what
they want.

42. Participation &
Democracy
• “ Statesmen are not free
to do whatever they
wish, because they are
accountable to
the people”.
To whom to listen?

43. Participation &
Democracy
• “ Exercising one’s right
to vote is the basic
minimum that
democracy requires”.
• A democratic state
cannot afford to have a
majority of its citizens
refusing to participate
in elections
Are they competent enough?

44. Significant Functions of Active
Participation in democracy
Sustaining
conversation
negotiation discussion Compromises
Making policy
decisions
Implementing
& evaluating
these
decisions
Making the
decision makers
accountable for
their actions
People have
responsibility &
accountable for
their actions

45. Democracy ………
• “ Democracy, to be true to itself, has to be
open to all other ideologies, even those
that are against it, such as communism,
totalitarianism and facism”.
• ” If democratic state bans such
ideologies, it will be contradicting the
essence of democracy”.

46. For Aristotle,
• Man is a political animal.
• Survival is important for him/her, and the
essence of this survival is talking, not
shooting.
• Even if one is silenced in a nonviolent way, the
act is still not justified because the silenced
person cannot participate in the discussion &
negotiation, and both he/she and the one who
nonviolently silenced him/her contribute to the
death of democracy.

47. Main Text
• Understanding Culture, Society & Politics ( First Edition 2016)
Published by Department of Education
• Vidar, Mark Kevin A. ; Paet, Elenita R. ( 2015) Political Science with
Philippine Politics and Governance. Malabon City: Mutya Publishing
House, Inc.
• (https://sriramgurujala.com/what-is-a-ideology-political-ideologies-
followed-throughout-the-world/)