Hopeful Stories of Communities Organizing

Democracy is best means to reach freedom

 

Given that democracy is worth saving, where should we go from here?

Let us begin with the premise that a government is formed and accepted in our current world according to its ability to safeguard and promote certain values. These values include freedom, equality, justice, peace and the right to dissent—in short, the values displayed on revolutionary banners throughout history whenever people fought for a better world.

Monarchy, mercantilism, feudalism, theocracy, oligopoly and nearly every form of governance flirted with throughout human history boil down in one way or another to the principle of rule of the many by a few.

The key assumption of these governments is that one group of elites is best equipped to decide for the whole, be it the wealthiest, the divinely ordained, those of royal blood or another small elite.

Absolute power offers little room for accountability to values of human aspiration.

Save a few altruistic exceptions that promote the values of freedom, equality and peace out of "benevolence," absolute rulers have historically had little reason to make decisions other than those that promote their own self-interest. There were few ways, outside of bloody, brutal revolution, for the majority of people to advance their interests.

What makes democracy unique among its political peers is that it requires rulers to attend to the interests of those they rule in order to maintain their power. It does this by creating levers which everyday people can use to make life better or worse for those at the top without having to go through the trouble of a revolution to make the same point.

However, the existence of these levers does not ensure politicians will act in the best interest of their people. There are many other interested parties—corporations, wealthy patrons, political allies—for whom democracy also extends the levers to be manipulated. They are proficient at doing so. They organize money, influence and members, duping the rest of us into thinking our elected officials have our best interest at heart, and encouraging us to sit placidly until the next election—by which time the outcome—or the limited options we have—have been decided by others.

Living in a democracy does not mean those with power will represent us. Rather it means it is easier to make them do so, but the responsibility ultimately rests with the people to organize around their needs to set up such a racket that representatives cannot afford to ignore them. We have to use the levers of power, because if we don't, others will.

The cruel joke of many democratic revolutions is that once people have power, they must constantly exercise it or lose it. There is no "going home." This mistake took place in South Africa after Apartheid. This mistake is also what civil society groups made after the end of martial law in the Philippines.

It is the mistake we are making today in the United States.

Often when people achieve democracy, they think the fight is over, they have won their freedom and the government will represent them and respond to their needs instead of opposing and oppressing them.

A democratic government does not default to promoting the interests of the people, Democracy is neutral. It allows anyone's voice to have a place. The benefit for people is that for the first time in history, democracy gives all people the chance to be a part of this conversation rather than living at the mercy of it.

We must keep in mind President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's response to a union delegation that once visited him: "Okay, you've convinced me. Now go out and bring the pressure on me!"

Democracy was never meant to be an end in itself. It was not a status to be reached at which point all would be well.

It is merely the best political means available toward the achievement of the values of freedom, equality, justice, peace and the right to dissent.

Cameron Conner
Columnist