A close association between democracy and liberty has long been taken for granted. At least a minimal package of human freedoms, including rights of association, opposition, and free speech and expression, is in fact required if democratic institutions such as elections are to be meaningful. Most definitions of the term “democracy” include reference to such freedoms. Moreover, democracy is presumed to foster basic human liberties and freedoms to a degree that is unmatched by authoritarian regimes. Democratic checks on rulers make it much more difficult for them to abuse their power or oppress their subjects, and they provide the opportunity for citizens to act to expand the range of rights to which they are entitled. It is, in fact, this connection between democracy, on the one hand, and human rights and liberties, on the other, that constitutes the most powerful argument in favor of democratic government.
It is against the backdrop of this conventional thinking that Adrian Karatnycky, in a recent edition of Freedom House’s annual global survey of political freedom, identified a paradox of the early 1990s. Specifically, he observed that while the number of democracies continued to grow, the state of freedom in the world was deteriorating. 1 His explanation for this troubling trend was that some democracies were facing acute economic, political, or social problems that were serving to undermine human rights and liberties. Such difficulties can certainly limit the quantity and quality of freedom that even a democratically constituted government can provide. Yet there is another possible explanation for the paradox: the close relationship observed between democracy and liberty may be contingent on culture. [End Page 112]
The definition of democracy adopted in this essay is a minimalist, procedural one rooted in the notion, originally put forth by Joseph Schumpeter, that democracy is a method or process of selecting rulers and, at least indirectly, policies. More specifically, to be considered democratic a political system must, at a minimum, meet two criteria: 1) the criterion of participation, which assumes that all adult members of the political community have the right to participate in the political process, most importantly in the process of electing public officials; and 2) the criterion of contestation, which assumes that significant political decision makers are elected via competition among multiple candidates and parties that allows for some meaningful degree of voter choice. To the extent that part of the adult population is excluded from participation or that individuals or parties are prevented from competing fairly for public support, the quality of democracy may be said to suffer.
While democracy has to do with the selection of rulers or policies, liberty refers to the freedom to engage in certain behaviors or to hold and express views without governmental interference. For example, the freedom to travel, to practice one’s religious faith, to look at p*rnography, and to buy and own property are measures of liberty rather than democracy. The bulk of what are commonly referred to as human rights involve precisely such questions of liberty. To some extent, of course, all governments limit individual liberties. They differ, however, in the amount of residual space left open for individuals to occupy free from governmental constraint.
A Complex Relationship
Both in theory and in practice, the relationship between democracy and liberty is a complex one that has spawned a certain degree of confusion among scholars. On the one hand, liberty is sometimes treated as a consequence of democracy; democratic governments, though varying among themselves in level of respect for human rights, are assumed to do a better job of protecting those rights than do their authoritarian counterparts. 2 On the other hand, liberty is frequently treated as a precondition of democracy, to the point that most scholars include civil and political liberties as a third element (beyond participation and contestation) of the definition of democracy itself.
To some extent, expanding the definition of democracy in this fashion seems reasonable. Absent at least a minimal package of civil liberties involving various freedoms of association and expression, what Larry Diamond has labeled “electoral democracy” may, in fact, prove to be quite hollow. 3 Yet an overly demanding definition...
FAQs
"Cultural democracy" stands for pluralism, participation, and equity in cultural life and cultural policy. "Cultural democracy" names the complex of values which ought to guide the evolution of cultural life. It is the animating philosophy behind community cultural development.
What is liberty in democracy? ›
In political society, liberty consists of being under no other lawmaking power except that established by consent in the commonwealth. People are free from the dominion of any will or legal restraint apart from that enacted by their own constituted lawmaking power according to the trust put in it.
Why did the United States create a democracy? ›
Because of this, the Founders of the United States decided that a monarchy system of government did not allow citizens enough input into national decisions. Consequently, they decided that the government of the United States would be a democracy - a political system in which ultimate authority rests with the citizens.
What is the exact meaning of democracy? ›
Democracy (from Ancient Greek: δημοκρατία, romanized: dēmokratía, dēmos 'people' and kratos 'rule') is a system of government in which state power is vested in the people or the general population of a state.
What culture invented democracy? ›
Democracy is generally associated with the efforts of the ancient Greeks, whom 18th-century intellectuals considered the founders of Western civilization. These individuals attempted to leverage these early democratic experiments into a new template for post-monarchical political organization.
What is the main idea of cultural theory? ›
Cultural theory is a method of studying cultural conflict that focuses on understanding conflicts of values in terms of competition between different organizational forms. It emphasizes the role of institutions in creating and sustaining culture, and analyzes how culture is produced by these institutions.
What are the ideals of liberty and democracy? ›
These individual freedoms include freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion and the right to a fair trial. Voter enfranchisem*nt and political participation are two key democratic ideals that ensure the engagement of citizens in the political sphere.
What are the three types of liberty? ›
Therefore, each individual should have economic, political, individual, religious and civil liberty etc in equal proportion and to enjoy all these liberties, national liberty is essential. Before 1947, there was absence of national liberty with India, therefore, the people did not have the other forms of liberty.
What is the symbol of liberty and democracy? ›
On June 17, 1885, the Statue of Liberty arrived in America, becoming a national symbol of liberty and democracy.
Is the US still a democracy? ›
The United States is a representative democracy. This means that our government is elected by citizens. Here, citizens vote for their government officials. These officials represent the citizens' ideas and concerns in government.
Remember Democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes exhausts and murders itself. There never was a Democracy Yet, that did not commit suicide. It is in vain to Say that Democracy is less vain, less proud, less selfish, less ambitious or less avaricious than Aristocracy or Monarchy.
Why is democracy so important in the US? ›
We know democracies are more peaceful, experience higher economic growth and lower poverty rates, protect the environment, provide more clean water, have higher life expectancies, and see more equitable distribution of education.
What is democracy in one words? ›
What is Democracy? "Of the people, by the people, for the people" Abraham Lincoln. The word democracy comes from the Greek words "demos", meaning people, and "kratos" meaning power; so democracy can be thought of as "power of the people": a way of governing which depends on the will of the people.
Who is the father of democracy? ›
Although this Athenian democracy would survive for only two centuries, its invention by Cleisthenes, “The Father of Democracy,” was one of ancient Greece's most enduring contributions to the modern world.
What are the pillars of democracy? ›
Mentioning the four pillars of democracy- the Legislature, Executive, Judiciary and the Media, Shri Naidu said that each pillar must act within its domain but not lose sight of the larger picture. “The strength of a democracy depends upon the strength of each pillar and the way pillars complement each other.
What is the cultural essentialism theory? ›
Cultural and racial essentialism is the view that fundamental biological or physical characteristics of human "races" produce personality, heritage, cognitive abilities, or 'natural talents' that are shared by all members of a racial group.
What is the concept of democratic theory? ›
Democratic theory is defined as a body of normative and empirical claims that address questions related to whose preferences count, what types of preferences matter, the decision-making rules used to aggregate preferences, the representing institutions, and methods to prevent undesirable outcomes, such as the 'tyranny ...
What is the cultural policy theory? ›
The idea of cultural policy was developed at UNESCO in the 1960s. Generally, this involves governments setting in place processes, legal classifications, regulations, legislation and institutions (e.g., galleries, museums, libraries, opera houses, etc.)
What is the theory of cultural representation? ›
Cultural representation is a concept cultivated by Stuart Hall within cultural studies, a discipline originating in Great Britain during the 1960s. Hall is recognized as a major contributor to the field, particularly in expanding its focus on cultural representations of race and ethnicity, as well as gender.
