Chapter 2
Democratic
part II
Ideal,
Outline
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Republican tradition from Polybius  American
founding
Rise, decline, revival of democratic ideal from
ancient Greece to present
Meanings of democracy throughout history
Democracy in 20th century – liberal, social,
people’s democracy
Democracy = essentially contested concept
 Meaning
of democracy ideological
 Ideologies have own meaning for democracy
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Democracy = an ideal
Democracy’s Long Sleep
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Demise of Roman Republic
 Triumph
of Caesars, Rome despotical, militarily
expansionist empire
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Rise of Christianity
 Worldly
matters less important than salvation
 Obey those in power and seek no power yourself
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Middle Ages and feudalism (highly stratified
society)
1500 years later, republican ideal revived in
Northern Italian city-states during Renaissance
1900 years later, democratic ideal revived
Rebirth of Democracy,
Republicanism
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Italian Renaissance (14-16th centuries)
 Rebirth
of classical learning and political ideas and
ideals
 Aristotle, Polybius, Rome, Sparta
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Revival of civic life, public-spirited citizens take
part in governing
 Liberty,
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virtue, and corruption
Key defender of republican government, Niccolo
Machiavelli (1469-1527)
Machiavelli (1469-1527)
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The Prince, best known work
Discourses (1531) defends republican ideals of mixed
government, virtuous citizenry, and rule of law
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Popular rule by virtuous and vigilant citizenry bent on protecting liberty
Greatest danger to republican or self-government comes from
corruption, turn away from common good and toward private or
individual interest
Liberty/self-government not for lazy, selfish or corrupt
Only citizens steeped in self-discipline, love of country, civic virtue, and
respect for law
Only under “government of laws, not men,” could citizens remain free
Mixed constitutional republic over direct
democracy
Inspired Atlantic republican tradition
Atlantic Republican Tradition
17th century England
 James Harrington (1611-1677)
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 Popular
self-government could be stable and
just
 Called on Cromwell to create mixed or
“balanced” system of government
 Land redistribution to promote liberty
 Popular elections to promote republican virtue
and protect against power of incumbency
Atlantic Democratic Tradition
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English Civil War of 1640s
Levellers (e.g., John Lilburne) and Diggers (e.g., Gerrard
Winstanley)
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Called for democracy
Political authority by popular consent
Extension of franchise to all adult males
Rule by and for benefit of common people
English colony in America, dissident puritans (e.g.,
Roger Williams) preached because all people were
equal in God’s eyes, equally entitled to govern
themselves in “democratical” way
Late 18th-19th Centuries
Before democracy dissident and to some
dangerous form of government
 Usually equated with mob rule
 In late 18th and early 19th democracy
finally becomes respectable
 In United States, democratic ideal altered
by republican tradition, with emphasis on
balanced government, rule of law, and
protection of civil rights
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U.S. Democratic Republic
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From beginning, favored form of government
was republican
Separation of powers/checks and balances
 Modification
of mixed or balanced government
 Executive = the one; legislative = many; judicial = few
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Bill of Rights
Popular element checked and controlled by
Senate, courts, and president
“Jacksonian democracy” removed property
qualifications for voting, expanded political
equality/democracy
Tocqueville (1805-1859)
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Democracy in America, de Tocqueville argues
democracy frees common people, but emphasis on
equality threatens to produce mediocrity, despotism, or
both
Emphasis on equality produced pressures to conform,
“tyranny of the majority”
Common people easily swayed by demagogues who
flatter and mislead them to gain power
Positive possibility for democracy (republicanism
combined with democratic ideal)
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Civic virtue, ability to see and serve common interest, promoted
through participation in public affairs
Growth of Democracy
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Growth in popularity in 19th and 20th centuries
Urbanization, education, communication and
transportation contributed to belief common
people could participate knowledgeably in public
affairs
Democracy defended on two grounds – self
protection and self-development
 Utilitarians
called for representative democracy
 Mill felt democracy would strengthen public virtue and
promote individual development
Democracy As An Ideal
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Most ideologies pursue, promote democracy, but in
different ways
Democracy not specific kind of government, an ideal =
something toward which people aim or aspire
Democracy is government or rule by the people, but…
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Who are the people?
How are the people to rule?
Democracy is attractive because it implies citizens are
free and equal, but what this means is unclear
All ideologies must come to terms with democratic ideal
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conception of human nature and freedom determines whether it
is possible, desirable, and what form it should take
th
20
century conceptions
Liberal Democracy
 Social Democracy
 People’s Democracy
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Liberal Democracy
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Emerged from Liberalism
Characterizes many Western democracies
Rule by people
Stresses protection of individual rights and
liberties
Majority rule must be limited
 Majority
rule as long as the majority does not deprive
individuals or minorities of basic civil rights
 Tend toward restricted version of appropriate role for
state in achieving equality of opportunity
Social Democracy
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Democratic socialist
Main challenger to Liberal Democracy
Like liberalism, emphasis on protection of civil liberties
and fair competition for office
Believe people cannot be free and political competition
fair with great inequalities of wealth and power
Key to democracy is equality
Equal power in society and government
Equal power/influence in politics/government requires
more equal distribution of economic power/resources
Program: redistribution of wealth to promote equality,
public financing of campaigns and elections, public
control over natural resources and major industries,
worker’s control in workplace
People’s Democracy
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Prevailing view in communist societies
Rule by common people (proletariat/ working class)
closer to original Greek democracy
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Differences within communist ideologies as to how rule
actualized
In most (China, Vietnam, Cuba, North Korea), rule by
Communist Party
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rule by and for benefit of numerically largest social class
modern industrial society working class, what Marx called the
proletariat
Mao’s “people’s democratic dictatorship”
Rule in interest of working class, claim to be
democracies, even more democratic than liberal or
social democracies
Essentially Contested
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Universally popular, meaning deeply disputed
Different people define democracy in quite
different ways
even within ideologies – among
liberals, conservatives, Marxists, etc.
 Splits/divisions
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For some, connected with particular social class
For some, democracy means not only majority
rule, but the protection of minority rights
For others, it means nothing of the sort
Democracy as an Ideal
 Aim
or aspiration
 Ideologies define democracy in
different and sometimes radically
divergent ways
 Ideal most ideologies espouse
Discussion Questions
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4.
5.
Why were Plato and Aristotle convinced democracy was a
bad form of government? Do you find their arguments
persuasive? Explain.
What have Machiavelli and other political theorists meant by
the term republic? How, if at all, is a republic different from
a democracy?
Is the United States best described as a democracy, a
republic, or a democratic republic? Explain and defend your
position.
What were the 3 principal conceptions of democracy in the
twentieth century? How do they differ from one another, and
which, in your view, is the best way to think about
democracy?
Ball and Dagger maintain democracy is not an ideology, but
an ideal. Why do they say this? Are they right or wrong?
Does it make sense to say democracy is an ideology? Why
or why not?