Concepts of Democracy

1. Concepts of Democracy

2. Foundations • A recognition of the fundamental dignity of every person; • A respect for the equality of all persons; • A faith in majority rule and insistence upon minority rights; • An acceptance of the necessity of compromise; • An insistence upon the widest possible degree of individual freedom.

3. Worth of the individual • Each individual, no matter what his or her station, is a separate and distinct being • The welfare of one or a few individuals is subordinate to the interests of the many in a democracy. • People can be forced to do certain things they do not want to do. (Paying taxes)

4. Equality of persons • All men are created equal • Equality of opportunity • Equality before the law • Democratic concept holds that no person should be held back for any arbitrary reasons as those based on race, color, religion or gender.

5. Majority Rules, Minority Rights • Will of the people dictates public policy. • Democracy argues that a majority of the people will be right more often then wrong. • The majority will be right more than any other person. • Must recognize the minority right to become, by a fair lawful means the majority. • The majority must always be willing to listen to a minority’s argument, to hear its objections, criticisms and to welcome suggestions.

6. Necessity of Compromise • In order to find the position most acceptable to the largest number • Compromise is a blending and adjusting to different points of view. • It is a process, a way of achieving majority agreement

7. Individual Freedom • Democracy can only thrive in an atmosphere of individual freedom • There is not complete freedom. That can only exist in anarchy. • Each individual must be free to do as he or she pleases as far as freedom will allow

8. Democracy and the Free Enterprise System • The American economic system is often called the Free Enterprise System. • Economic system characterized by: • Private ownership of capital goods, • Individual initiative • Profit and • Competition

9. How the system works • Free enterprise is often called capitalism • Also know as private enterprise system and • Market based system. • Does not rely on the government to decide what items are produced or how much to sell. • Democracy is a political system and Free Enterprise is an economic system.

10. Law of Supply and Demand • States when supplies for good and services become plentiful, prices tend to drop • When supplies become scarcer, prices tend to rise

11. Government and the Free Enterprise System • American economy is a free market system • Mixed Economy- an economy in which private enterprise exists in combination with a considerable amount of government regulation and promotion. • Government’s role is twofold • To protect the public • To preserve free private enterprise

12. Government participation • Can be seen at every level: national, State, local. • Examples: • antitrust laws, • pure food and drug laws, • anti-pollution standards • City and county zoning ordinances and building codes

13. Nation’s economic life is promoted in many ways • The government grants money • Transportation systems • Scientific research • Growing of particular crops • Builds roads • Operates public schools • Provides services such as postal system, fire department, police department

14. Democracy and the Internet • 181 million Americans can log onto the internet. • Cyberspace has become a marketplace. • Democracy demands that people be informed. • Cyber votes were cast in 2000 Arizona Democratic Party’s Presidential Primary • Problem is that you can not guarantee absolute integrity.

15. How much should government participate, regulate, promote, police, serve? • “The legitimate object of government is to do for a community of people, whatever they need to have done, but can not do, at all, or can not so well do for themselves-in their separate individual capacities” Abraham Lincoln, July 1, 1854