Democracy - Canadian

A detailed Summary of Democracy - Canadian

What constitutes a democracy? Why is democracy thought of as such a great way to govern a country? In order to understand the true meaning and purpose of it, we have to look at the different factors in which democracy is run. In order to analyse the purpose of a government, I am going to first formulate my own understanding of a democracy. I think a democracy is a basic right for citizens of that particular country to express their personal opinions, vote freely on any issues, and make a decision based on the popular beliefs of the masses. Democracy is a form of organization and a way of dealing with issues that affect the citizens of the country. I believe that in order to have a country that functions and operates to the liking of the whole, a country cannot be a pure democratic society. There are contrary opinions of some key philosophers that argue against a democratic governance. Democracy has come a long way since man has existed. As you study history, you will find that many people have not been used to a society in which democracy has been the basis of ruling a country. Throughout recorded history, most people have been ruled by kings and other dictators. Democracy is not purely bad nor purely good

2Robert Cairns : On a Necessary Tension of a Democracy

Democracy not only governs the society in general, but there are also democratic ways of running a business that affect the company. Democracy in the work place affects the way employees and shareholders interact. The companies that are owned by shareholders are most influenced by a particular member that has the most equity. This goes back to the idea that the most powerful get the say in what happens to the whole.

1 CB MacPherson: The Real World of Democracy ( Oxford University Press,1966) p.1

Democracy is a form of an autocracy, shaped in a different way. In an autocratic country, one ruler stands out against the rest. However, in a democracy, the popular beliefs, rule the rest who are not on their side. When I think about this idea, it really is similar in ideology. In a way, we are all getting controlled, the two forms just differ in the number. Mills makes a good point when he says that just because the popular opinion agrees with a certain idea, it does not make it correct. No one actually sets standards to which we have to believe in an ideology, the deciding factor is the popular vote because people who do not want to be ostracized will not go against the popular beliefs. This possibility makes democracy more powerful than any other form of governing a society. CB MacPherson clearly states his opinion on the role of democracy when he says, "democracy is used to be a bad word. Everybody who was anybody knew that democracy in its original sense of rule by the people or government in accordance with the will of the bulk of the people, would be a bad thing - fatal to individual freedom and to all the graces of civilized living."1 He goes onto say that democracy is essentially a rule of "the mob." He also says that democracy is in a sense a new form of tyranny still more powerful than the old ones. He makes a valid argument in the same basic principle in which de Tocqueville argued his point.

Some common words found in the essay are:
, Liberal Values, Mike Harris, French Canadians, CB MacPherson, Arblaster Unlimited, Robert Cairns, De Tocqueville, Based Mill's, Mike Harris', entire nation, popular beliefs, democracy democracy, liberal values, entire nation people, popular public, public opinion, nation people, french canadians, society democratic, de tocqueville argued, popular public opinion, conform entire nation, popular opinion,

Approximate Word count = 1959
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Politics