October 11, 2011
Where Would We Be Without Democracy
If there is any way to make us appreciate what we have, it is by envisaging what life would be like without it. This same concept can be applied to democracy. It is a thought provoking experience, to imagine your life without something you take for granted day by day. To aid you in that experience and to hopefully offer a new appreciation for the liberties we are granted today, here are some examples of how life would be different.
Without democracy, the demographic of Britain today would be entirely different. Some might argue that without documents such as the Magna Carta, or the English Civil War, democracy would have inevitably emerged as the dominant political form. This owes to movements such as the Enlightenment, which represented a drastic shift in philosophical thought. It was at the time of the Enlightenment, for example, that the French Revolution took place – the monarchy was disposed and many in Britain felt its influences would spread. However, consider if neither this change in philosophical thought nor such rebellions occurred – it is possible that the English Civil War might have never taken place.
If, for example, Oliver Cromwell had not led the parliament after the execution of King Charles I, we would not have the parliament we have today. It is worth extensive consideration; the stepping stones that lead to a state becoming democratic are precarious and can even seem coincidental.
It can start to look like a chain reaction. The events in France acted as an impetus for increasing political reform in England. Additionally, without this, the philosophical belief that underpinned the Declaration of Independence, born out of Enlightenment principles, may have never come to existence. In this vain it is even feasible to suggest that modern day American would not exist, but rather exist as colonial subjects to English monarchy.
Without this, then, we would still be subject to Monarchical law and judgement. It presents an odd image in the mind, and it is hard not to imagine the Black Adder depiction of Queen Elizabeth sitting in a 21st century context demanding the heads from her subjects.
Lastly, as democracy has become an intrinsic characteristic to capitalist society, we would be without our modern day luxuries. Forget your iPhone, if Britain had remained ruled by its monarchy then private business practice would have existed in a much smaller, diminutive form. Private entrepreneurship wouldn’t really have existed and today’s industries would have remained affiliated to state, rather than encouraging individuals to achieve their own power.
October 1, 2011
Democracy Today
Democracy has flourished across the world since the medieval times. Democracy, in short, is a system of political beliefs which emphasizes the rights of the individual, giving them the power and freedom to choose how they are ruled. It has various sub-definitions, extending across the range of difference ‘types’ of democracies, but fundamentally it shows the same basic concern for social and political equality.
It has become one of the cornerstone characteristics of the ‘free world’, often synonymously associated with the concept of a civilised nation. In this way, it opposes the political systems which existed during the middle ages, namely monarchical government and the feudal system. Under these systems the common people (sometimes known as the serfs or proletariat) lived a life of subservience under the ruler of the land, often someone of aristocratic blood who was born into power and wealth. Needless to say, it was felt that social equality did not exist – people were forced, particularly under monarchical constitution, to accept their ruling as divine providence.
This was particularly rampant during the middle-ages as people were far more zealous with their religious beliefs than they are today. It comes as no surprise, then, that they are retrospectively seen as the darker times in our histories.
Today, democracy exists as the core ideal of the Western world. In essence, democracy is the very air we breathe – it is a political system that safe-guards are values, though we often take it for granted. Democracy as we know it today has arisen out of a range of political movements over the past millennia. It is born from revolution, rebellion, scientific discovery and shifting philosophical belief.
Its cultural influences, however, can be traced back to the Roman era. Before it became the Roman Empire, the Roman people had existed under a republic, embracing a lot of the characteristics that we recognize in today’s democracy. Its senate was determined by the people (albeit only a very select group of privileged people). It can also be identified as far back as Ancient Greece.
These early governments certainly influenced the way that political systems, beliefs and ideals of social equality changed with time. In England, democracy arose from numerous factors. The key turning point was the English Civil War, symbolising the end to absolute monarchy and, for the first time, the creation of a parliament which had a significant degree of power. If we look further back, however, we can see that the beginnings of democracy were evident in the creation of the Magna Carta – the first document to be first forced upon a king by his disgruntled subjects. It was an attempt to limit the power of the king, proclaiming that an individual should be punished through the law of the land rather than have his fate solely subject to the will of the King.
From whichever seed it grows, democracy in all nations exists to serve the liberty of the people – it is regarded as one of humanities most progressive achievements to date.
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