Limits of a Liberal DemocracySachin Nandha Ph.D

Sachin Nandha Ph.D

Ph.D Philosophy of MindMerton College, Oxford

Kings College London & Princeton University

Sachin Nandha Ph.D

Democracy“a democracy would be fully

participatory and would aim for the common good in order to achieve

excellence.”Aristotle

“Let every soul be subject to the higher powers, for there is no power but of God. The powers that

be are ordained by God. Whoever therefore resisted the powers has resisted the ordnance of

God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.”

Bible, Romans 13 verse 1 & 2

Sachin Nandha Ph.D

Democracy

Power of the People

Liberal

“freedom”

consent of the governedright to life, liberty & property

welfare state, religious toleration, free market economies, globalisation

Sachin Nandha Ph.D

Democracy

Power of the People

DirectRepresentative

Sachin Nandha Ph.D

Representative Democracy

What is it?

Political pluralityFree & Fair elections

Quasi Oligarchy

Elected members

Political parties

Financial Institutions

Interest groups

Sachin Nandha Ph.D

People

Electorate

Religious InstitutionsP r i v a t e b u s i n e s s

Special Interest groups

Financial Institution

s

Govern

ment

Bank of EnglandAcademia

Monarchy

NGOsy

Elected members & Political parties

Sachin Nandha Ph.D

Liberal Democracy

Anglo Judo-Christian Capitalist Representative Liberal Democracy

Sachin Nandha Ph.D

Limits of a Liberal Democracy

Rhetoric of the age

Mild thought control

Vilification of dissenters

Best alternative

Polarisation of debate

Sachin Nandha Ph.D

Limits of a Liberal Democracy

Bourgeoisie State

Financial Institutions

Private Business

Citizen to Consumer

Docile public

Sachin Nandha Ph.D

Limits of a Liberal Democracy

Media & Special interest State

Media corporations

Personality orientated

Distortion of policy

Suppression of non mainstream views

Walter Lippmann

Sachin Nandha Ph.D

Limits of a Liberal Democracy

Subservient State

Free Market

Capital

Telos “narrow interests”

Sachin Nandha Ph.D

A Liberal Democracy

?Citizens

Direct participatio

n

Nation State ?

Public control on Financial Institutions

Free Media