Challenge and Promise of Democracy
Tuesday October 10, 2006
Book of the Day: First Democracy: The Challenge Of An Ancient Idea, by Paul Woodruff. Publisher: Oxford University Press.
Democracy is very important to America. It’s a fundamental component of America’s politics, America’s culture, and most importantly America’s self-identity. America is defined less by ethnicity or religion like other nations and more by a political ethic of democratic self-governance. Is America truly democratic, however? Does it understand what democracy is and is it even ready for democracy?
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Comments
Democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding whats for dinner.
If 51% of Americans vote that its ok to rape women, would you support the it as a democratic outcome and therefore justified?
Or would you challenge the vote outcome, and therefore challenge the very principle of Democracy itself?
You’re assuming that there is one “principle” of democracy, and that this principle is bare majoritiarianism. I challenge that — and so does the book this post links to. Here’s more.