As I see it, here are the fundamental premises of liberal democracy:
- Government is a man-made construct designed to provide the greatest benefit to the greatest number of people. The powers that be are not there by divine right, but are subject to change in the interest of the public as a whole.
- To the extent that truth can completely be known, it is as the result of freedom of inquiry and discussion, not revelation or conquest.
- Human nature being imperfect, it is too dangerous to entrust arbitrary power to any one person or any group of people.
- A large group of people is generally wiser, in the long run, than a small group or a single individual.
- The interests and feelings of all individuals are of equal value to the state.
As a result, all working liberal democracies have the following features:
- A depoliticized criminal justice system;
- All persons are equal under the law;
- At least some free and independent media;
- A written or unwritten constitution that is enforceable by the judiciary against the government;
- Freedom of religion, speech, and association;
- Fair elections;
- Universal adult suffrage; and
- Protection for private property rights.
These features leave open a lot of discretion relative to policy and the precise nature of any particular government’s machinery. A liberal democracy can have a presidential or a parliamentary system; it may be largely capitalist or socialist; it may result in great or minimal inequality; it may have important anti-democratic elements, or not; and it may provide for some public media, or not. Theocracy, communism, and fascism, however, cannot be logically reconciled with it.
The merits of liberal democracy are currently being debated to an extent not seen in the recent past. Its perceived weaknesses will be the topic of tomorrow’s post.