1.3 BASIC CONCEPTS OF

DEMOCRACYJacobs 2013

LEARNING TARGETS:1. What are the foundations of

democracy?

2. What are the connections between democracy and the free enterprise system?

3. How has the Internet affected democracy?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

“No government demands so much from

the citizen as Democracy, and none gives so much back.” –

James Bryce

What does a democratic government demand from you?

What does it give you in return?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?What about this one:

“No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has

been said that democracy is the worst

form of government except all those other forms that have been

tried from time to time.” –Winston Churchill

FOUNDATIONS-THE AMERICAN CONCEPT OF DEMOCRACY RESTS

ON THESE 5 BASIC NOTIONS:

(1) A recognition of the fundamental worth and dignity of every person

(2) A respect for the equality of all persons

(3) A faith in majority rule and an insistence upon minority rights

(4) An acceptance of the necessity of compromise

(5) An insistence upon the widest possible degree of individual freedom

This is the very minimum anyone who professes to believe in democracy must agree to

WORTH OF THE INDIVIDUAL Everyone is unique (duh) Each person has dignity and

worth But…sometimes the welfare of

one or a few is subordinated to the interests of a majority in a democracy

People are forced to do things they may not want to do like paying taxes, or even stopping for a stop sign

These may not be enjoyed by the minority but are put in place to serve the majority

EQUALITY OF ALL PERSONS- “…ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL” Democracy does not insist on

equality of condition but it does insist on the equality of rights

What does that mean?

Democratic concept of equality insists that all are entitled to:

Equality of opportunity Equality before the law

What types of things should NOT hold a person back in terms of opportunities?

MAJORITY RULE VS. MINORITY RIGHTS

The will of the people and not the dictate of the ruling few determines public policy

Majority rule: (it’s a numbers game)1. The majority of people will be right more

often than they will be wrong2. Majority will also be right more often than

will any one person or small group

But democracy does not say they will always arrive at the best decisions

Democracy is, however, the best choice because if bad decisions are made we can correct them…

MAJORITY RULE VS. MINORITY RIGHTS

We also recognize that seldom is any solution so satisfactory that it cannot be improved upon

One of the greatest things about our democracy is that we can fix things!!! AmendmentsElections etc.

Majority must be willing to listen to a minorities argument

NECESSITY OF COMPROMISE Compromise: the process of

blending and adjusting competing views and interests to find the position most acceptable to the largest number

This allows for new solutions, and innovative ideas

But… Compromise helps balance majority

and minority ideas Not all compromises are good, and not

all are necessary

INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM We do have individual rights But not ABSOLUTE freedom

“The right to swing my fist ends where there other man’s nose begins.”-Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes

Therefore, we are entitled to many rights so long as we do not impede the rights of other humans

DEMOCRACY AND FREE ENTERPRISE We value individual freedom even in our

economy Free enterprise system-an economic

system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods

4 fundamental factors for free enterprise system:1. Private ownership2. Individual initiative3. Profit4. Competition

HOW FREE ENTERPRISE WORKS Decisions on what product to make,

how much product to make, and the price of the product are made by the market through the law of supply and demand

Law of supply and demand-when the supplies of goods and services become plentiful, prices tend to drop. When supplies become scarce, prices rise

USA Political system: Democracy Economic system: Free enterprise

GOV’T AND FREE ENTERPRISE We have a mixed economy

because we do not have a completely free market

Mixed economy- an economy in which private enterprise exists in combination with a considerable amount of government regulation and promotion

MIXED ECONOMY 2 purposes of government participation

in economy:1. To protect the public2. To preserve private enterprise

How this happens: 1. Government regulation

Anti-trust laws, pure food and drug laws, environmental regulations, building codes

2. Government promotion Subsidies (money from gov’t) given to

scientific research, transportation systems, farmers of certain crops etc.

BUT… The great debate is HOW MUCH should

the government participate, regulate and promote, police and serve

Perhaps:“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, and individual capacities.” -Abraham Lincoln, July 1, 1854

“Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that

more than half of the people are right more than

half of the time.”-E.B. White

DEMOCRACY AND THE INTERNET

Create the chart below and discuss the following with a neighbor:

How has the Internet changed democracy?

Positive Change

Neutral Change

Negative Change