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FOUNDATIONS OF DEMOCRATIC STATES IN THE CARIBBEANSession 1

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Overview

This session provides a broad introduction to democratic ideas and to democratic practices in the Caribbean; knowledge which is fundamental to the creation of a democratic classroom and to the development of democratic citizenship. It introduces the many notions of democracy and The Inter-American Democratic Charter.

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Objectives

• Identify key democratic concepts and understand their development by early thinkers.

• Demonstrate the contribution of Caribbean thinkers to democratic practice in the Caribbean.

• Examine the strengths of democracy in the Caribbean and the main challenges to its implementation.

• Explore the way in which the Inter-American Democratic Charter can assist in the advancement of democratic citizenship in the Caribbean.

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Activity

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE DEMOCRACY?

• Stop for a moment, think about and write down your own working definition of democracy.

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Key Democratic Concepts

Concepts which are associated with democracy and critical to its understanding, support a political system which places a high value on individual freedom, participation in public life, and the ability of citizens to have a say in choosing their governments.

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These concepts include:

• Freedom of expression.• Respect for constitutional

authority and the Rule of Law.

• Justice.• Social, political and economic

rights often rooted in international conventions.

• Open participation in public life.

• Respect for difference and diversity.

• Balance between rights and responsibilities.

• Strong principles of equity, fairness, and non-discrimination.

• The devaluation of force and the promotion of consensus building, discussion and dialogue.

• The promotion of social responsibility and participation.

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Key Democratic Values

RESPECT(Relationships based on

respect for life, human dignity, and the environment) FAIRNESS HONESTY EQUALITY

PEACE

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Paradoxes of Democracy

• Representative vs. Participatory Democracy

• Rights vs. Responsibilities.

• Individual Freedom vs. Community Responsibility

“My right to stretch my hand ends where the other person’s nose

begins”

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Definitions of Democracy• "Democracy [is] not majority

rule: democracy [is] diffusion of power, representation of interests, recognition of minorities." (John Calhoun, as paraphrased by Roper 1989, 63)

http://www.uiowa.edu/~c030142/DefinitionsOfDemocracy.html

[U1 • "Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard." (H.L. Mencken, quoted in Danziger 1998, 155)

http://www.uiowa.edu/~c030142/DefinitionsOfDemocracy.html

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Definitions of Democracy

• Democracy is "government by the people; that form of government in which the sovereign power resides in the people as a whole, and is exercised either directly by them .. or by officers elected by them." (Oxford English Dictionary, 1933)

http://www.uiowa.edu/~c030142/DefinitionsOfDemocracy.html

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• A democratic regime is one "… in which the peaceful rivalry for the exercise of power exists constitutionally." The phrase "exercise of power" implies temporary control. (Aron 1969, 41)

http://www.uiowa.edu/~c030142/DefinitionsOfDemocracy.html

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Democracy as an Ideal vs.

Democracy as Practice

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Evolution of Democratic Ideas

Democratic ideas and practices evolved over time, and Democracy was not always seen as the best or even a desirable form of political organization.

The foundations of democratic thought

were laid by the participatory democracies of early Greece.

It evolved further with the ideas of early philosophers and political thinkers such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Charles Montesquieu, Alexis de Tocqueville and John Stuart Mill.

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1. The Concept of Legitimacy

Democracy is one of the strongest ways of ensuring that Governments have the legitimacy to rule. Since democratic governments come from the will of the people, they are normally very stable and ensure order.

The question of order was particularly important to Thomas Hobbes (1588 – 1679. He was concerned that without one overwhelming central power society would descend into chaos and anarchy and “life would be solitary poor nasty brutish and short”.

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2. The Concept of Government by the Consent of the Governed

While the questions of stability and order are important to democracy, it is even more important to ensure that governments are based on the consent of the majority.

An important feature of democracy

is to limit the power of governments by strengthening society. These were the concerns of John Locke (1632 – 1704). John Locke’s main concern was to deepen the power of society in relation to the state.

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3. The Concept of “Separation of Powers”

Charles Montesquieu (1689 – 1755) was principally concerned about placing checks and balances against the government in order to protect the population.

He thus recommended the

separation of powers as a check against tyrannical government. He proposed that all three branches – legislative, executive, and judicial, must remain in separate hands, and each branch must check the power of the other.

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4. The Concept of Minority Rights

Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859) was mainly concerned about the “tyranny of the majority”. In his view, majorities could be oppressive and tyrannical when they trampled on the rights and liberties of the minority.

He emphasised the need to balance equality and individual liberty. Tocqueville addresses the issue of minority rights, as a counterweight to the rule and power of the majority.

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5. The Concept of Individual Liberty and Freedom

J.S. Mill (1806 – 1873) John Stuart Mill goes further than any other theorist before him, in placing great emphasis on the rights and liberties of the individual.

Mill proposed that the freedom of the individual should only be interfered with when his actions affected the life and liberty of another person. In everything else the individual should be free to act.

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Activity

Think about the following concepts and note any associated issues currently manifesting in your society/school:

• The Legitimacy of Government• Government by the consent of the

Governed• The Separation of Powers • Minority Rights• Individual Liberty and Freedom

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1. The Concept of Freedom from Slavery

Given the Caribbean’s history of slavery and the long period of resistance culminating in Emancipation, Caribbean democracy has evolved with a strong link between democracy and freedom.

One of the earliest thinkers who made freedom from slavery important was Toussaint L’Ouverture who played a leading role in the abolition of slavery from Haiti.

Another important figure was Jean Jacques Dessalines, who declared Haiti independent in 1804. They are important for fighting for freedom from slavery, which is an important step in the growth of Caribbean democracy. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toussaint_L'Ouverture  

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2. The Concept of Emancipation: The Right to Vote and Self-Government

There were Caribbean thinkers, who felt that Emancipation should mean the right to vote, and by extension self government, the right of the islands to elect their own citizens to their own parliaments.

One such thinker was J.J. Thomas of Trinidad and

Tobago. In 1889, Thomas expounded these ideas in, Froudacity West Indian Fables by James Anthony Froude Explained by J. J. Thomas.

Another such thinker was Samuel Jackman Prescod (1806-1871) of Barbados Prescod was concerned that the abolition of slavery had not resulted in the rights of ex-slaves to enjoy all the privileges of free men. He demanded one man one vote for Barbados, when this had not been established in England and understood that democracy was important in the building of a true post-slavery society.

Samuel Jackman Prescod

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3. The Concept of Freedom From Racial Discrimination

Closely linked to the concept of freedom from slavery is the concept of freedom from racial discrimination.

In the Caribbean race and slavery were closely related, and the question of overcoming racial discrimination has been so important to Caribbean thinkers. Among the Caribbean’s foremost contributors to the concept of freedom from racial discrimination is Marcus Garvey (1887-1940) of Jamaica.

Garvey wanted to ensure that black people all over the world developed themselves so that they would enjoy all opportunities to progress. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC9QhxF_kL4&feature=related

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4. The Concept of Workers Rights and Freedom to Form Trade Unions

By the middle of the 20th Century, Caribbean people began to demand better wages and working conditions, and the right to association in the form of trade unions.

This became an important part of the Caribbean’s understanding of democracy.

From the mid-1930s onwards a number of important Caribbean thinkers began to write and agitate for better working and living conditions.

Both Cipriani and Marryshow made important contributions to the concept of democracy as workers rights and freedom of association.

Captain Arthur Cipriani (1875-1945) of Trinidad and Tobago

T.A. Marryshow (1887-1958) of Grenada

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5. The Concept of Political Independence

Freedom, self-government, and workers rights, strongly held democratic concepts in the Caribbean led to the desire of the islands to win their political independence from Britain. This became an important aspect of Caribbean democracy in the 1960s when, many thinkers felt that it was necessary to win Independence in order that the Caribbean could decide its own path for the future.

Among the leading thinkers on Caribbean independence were: Dr. Eric Williams of Trinidad & Tobago, Sir Alexander Bustamante of Jamaica and Sir Errol Barrow of Barbados.

Dr. Eric Williams (1911-1981)Sir Alexander Bustamante (1884-1977) Sir Errol Barrow (1920-1987)

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6. Ideas on Participatory Democracy after Independence

After Independence in the 1960’s there were many Caribbean thinkers who felt that there was need to widen democracy beyond what was inherited from the Westminster system. To move from representative to participatory democracy. One such thinker was C.L.R. James(1901-1989) of Trinidad and Tobago. In two of his works Every Cook Can Govern and Party Politics in the British West Indies, he criticised West Indian democracy for its failure to allow for full participatory democracy for the West Indian people.

http://www.marxists.org/archive/james-clr/biograph.ht

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Activity Are the democratic concerns of the

early Caribbean thinkers still relevant?

Think of some issues currently in the public domain that relate to any of the concerns repeated below.

Freedom from slavery• Freedom from Racial

Discrimination• Workers’ Rights and freedom to

form Trades Unions• Self-Government and

Independence• Participatory Democracy

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Democracy: Its Strengths and Weaknesses,

Opportunities and Threats

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The Strengths of Democracy

• Legitimacy of Governments It provides a strong guarantee that

governments’ origins are based on the consent of the people. A regular opportunity to select their own government, ensures that people (voters) are responsible for the positives and negatives which they encounter daily.

• Best Ensures Order and Stability People are least likely to rebel against

their own choices, and People are least likely to resort to violent or other deviant means, when they have an expectation of legitimate avenues through which to effect change.

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The Strengths of Democracy

• Existence based on the Rule of Law Rules of the society are clearly spelt out.

There is a clear understanding of the rights and duties of all persons and institutions.

The society is guided by the constitution and by a body of written laws.

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Opportunities for Citizens in a Democracy

• Participation in public life. In a democracy individuals are

afforded an opportunity to participate in public life.

• The capacity to influence decisions.

Individuals have a greater chance to influence and shape decisions which affect them.

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Opportunities for Citizens in a Democracy

• Freedom of Expression and Association.

Democracy affords the individual the opportunity to express her/himself freely and to associate in the pursuit of common causes.

• Opportunities for Dissenting Voices to Advance the society.

A principle of democracy is that the minority view has a right to be heard; this often means individuals and groups whose ideas are outside the main stream.

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Weaknesses of Democracy: The Internal Challenges

1. Democracy as “endless discussion” where nothing gets done.

One of the questions raised about democracy is the difficulty in deciding when debate and discussion should end, and implementation begin.

2. Disregard of minority views. In Caribbean democracy the views of theminority are often submerged. The further advancement of ourdemocracy requires balancing protectionof minority interests and the expression

ofthe will of the majority.

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Weaknesses of Democracy: The Internal Challenges

3. Who makes the ultimate decision? Where does true authority lie? Where does the buck stop? Who is really responsible?

Since there are so many levels of decision makers, a democracy may sometimes suffer from not being able to identify who is ultimately responsible for making a final decision.

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Threats to Democracy: The External Challenges

• Poverty - ill-suited to democracy The poverty of the Caribbean region

poses problems for sustaining a commitment to democracy. At the level of the state, there are limited resources to devote to building and nurturing the democratic institutions of the country. At the level of the individual, poverty militates against the independence of the citizen.

• Illiteracy and democracy Democracy presupposes the participation

of well-informed citizens, with the time, knowledge and resources to participate meaningfully in the decision making processes in their communities.

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Threats to Democracy: The External Challenges

• Globalization (Increasingly integrated and centrally regulated global economy)

• One of the consequences of globalization is that it reduces the meaning of democracy within states.

• Today, many decisions that affect citizens have their origin from outside the state.

• Citizens have little guarantee that their government can implement their wishes as a result of the economic and political constraints of globalization.

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Caribbean Democratic Practice

Strengths

• Regular holding of periodic elections

• The conduct of government by the rule of law

• Constitutional alterations in government

• Relatively free and open societies characterized by freedom of association, a free press, freedom of religion and freedom of conscience

Weaknesses

• Tolerance of corruption• Poorly educated publics • High levels of poverty• Absence of checks and

balances• Underdeveloped notions of

minority rights• Unequal access to legal and

institutional protection• Weak democratic

institutions• Vulnerability to external

impacts eg. globalization.

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The Inter-American Democratic Charter and Caribbean Democratic Development

The Inter-American Democratic Charter is a landmark document adopted on September 11, 2001 by the 34 member countries of the Organization of American States, OAS.

The Charter calls on member states to “promote and consolidate representative democracy,” spells out what democracy entails and specifies how it should be defended when it is under threat.

It makes a simple, clear declaration: “The peoples of the Americas have a

right to democracy and their governments have an obligation to promote and defend it.”

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Democratic Values of the Charter

The Inter-American Democratic Charter identifies a set of essential values and rights, such as:

• respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms;• periodic free and fair elections;• transparency, probity, and respect for social rights;• exercise of power in accordance with the rule of law;• pluralistic system of political parties and organizations,

separation of powers and independence of the branches of government;

• elimination of all forms of discrimination;• the right and responsibility of all citizens to participate in

decisions relating to their own development.

http://www.oas.org

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Some of the issues addressed by the OAS Charter provide useful sub-topics through which democracy in the Caribbean can be explored.

• Good Governance and Democratic Values• Protecting Human Rights• A Voice for Civil Society• Social and Economic Development• Combating Corruption• Defending the Rights of Women• The Rights of Indigenous Peoples

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Directions of Democratic Development in the Caribbean

• The demand for greater levels of participatory democracy. The growth of radio call-in programs; the demands to participate in budget discussion; and the calls for greater levels of accountability and transparency from governments are examples of this.

• Greater emphasis on the protection of human rights and the elimination of discrimination. For example, the establishment and strengthening of Offices of the Ombudsman, throughout the Caribbean.

• Anti-Corruption Demands. The demands for greater levels of accountability have also been linked to the demand for anti-corruption, and calls for the establishment of Integrity Legislation.

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Directions of Democratic Development in the Caribbean

• The demands for more elections beyond General elections. This can be seen in the calls for recalling parliamentarians in mid-term, and the demand for the establishment of local government elections in cases where no such electoral mechanisms exist.

• The need for Constitutional Reform. In all of the Caribbean islands there have been attempts to review the constitution to make it more relevant to the needs of the society, to further democratize the governmental administration, and to address the gap between culture and institutions.

• Growing litigation in defence of individual and minority rights, freedoms and liberties.

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Summary

This session introduced some of the basic concepts of democracy, and examined the ideas that have shaped the establishment of democracies in the English-speaking Caribbean.

Arguments for and against democracy in the Caribbean, were highlighted and some reasons why democracy is important proposed.

The role of the Inter-American Democratic Charter in advancing Caribbean democracy was also briefly examined.

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ActivityActivity 1: Small Group Discussion (a) List in order of importance, what you think are five of the most pressing

problems of democracy in your country. (b) Note which of the Articles of the Inter-American Democratic Charter best

addresses the problems you identified.

Activity 2: In your groups Reflect on the following Questions:

– What are the essential elements of democracy mentioned in The Inter-American Democratic Charter? 

– Are there any which have been left out? Which ones do you think are missing?

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Thank you!