Thinking About Democracy and Elections

PERSISTENT ISSUE: What standards must be met to give leadership legitimate authority?

COURSE SPECIFIC: To what extent should American elections be more democratic?

Too Democratic Not DemocraticJust Right

Some possible ways to view the question

Two camps with opposing views…1. Minimalist

◦ Elitist Model: as long as leadership is responsible to the people, the electoral process matters little

2. Participatory◦ Pluralist Model: electoral process is a competition

amongst competing groups◦ Popular (Plebiscitary): people should exercise

greatest influence over electoral process

American democracy is structured, formal, practical, realistic…It is not starry-eyed, carnivalesque, or insurrectionary. It is not pure or participatory democracy, and it does not consider political chaos a price worth paying to actualize the political will….The populism of a Jefferson or a Jackson remains a part of our democratic ideology, but a smaller part than in the days of yore.

-Judge Richard Posner

What does this quote mean?

Democracy…must remain a project, a goal, something to be endlessly nurtured and reinforced, an ideal that cannot be fully realized but always can be pursued

-Alexander Keyssar

What does this quote mean?

Most agree elections should include the following:1. Relatively wide, if not universal, suffrage2. A great degree of equality among those allowed

to vote3. Some degree of thoughtfulness amongst voters

Elections should also be characterized by the following values:◦ Equal Respect◦ Popular Sovereignty◦ Free Choice

1. Extent to which they promote political stability

2. Extent to which they hold elected officials accountable

3. Extent to which public policy is addressed4. Extent to which political “playing field” is

level5. Extent to which fundamental freedoms

and rights are respected

Liberty v. Equality Free Press v. Informed Choice

Free Speech v. Fair Competition Majority Rule v. Minority Rights