Page 160 - Berkshire Encyclopedia Of World History Vol Two

democracy, constitutional 509

Independence Hall in
Philadelphia, a symbol
of democracy.

class, nationality, creed, political opinion,
sexual orientation, or other personal char-
acteristics that are irrelevant to individual
merit.

Advantages
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill
(1874–1965) famously said that democ-
racy, for all its faults, is still better than other
political systems. Constitutional democracy
is a manageable alternative to the chaos
necessitated by bringing every decision to
the scrutiny of numerous people and also is
an antidote to the potential tyranny of
decrees issued by kings, queens, or presi-
dents without the advice and consent of
those in whose name they presume to gov-
ern. The balancing act of parliaments and
the judiciary check the absolute powers that
executive privilege might otherwise confer
upon rulers.
In a constitutional democracy a legitimate
regime can rightfully claim a monopoly on
the publicly accepted use of coercion, includ-
ing violence. Societies in which parliamen-
tarianism prevails are governed by a rela-
tively open political culture with elections
contested by multiple parties and individu-
als. (In parlimentarianism, the executive
branch’s political party must have a working
majority in the legislature to remain in power.) Compro- sis on rationalism), argued that the proper function of
mise is preferred over confrontation. Rules of conduct societies and states must be based on compromise and
and debate and respect for fundamental human rights freedoms, that is, civil equality. Deeming human civi-
facilitate basic civil rights such as freedoms of expression, lizations as having emerged voluntarily from an idyllic
speech, assembly, ideology, affiliation, and religion. state of nature, he would not lend credence to coercion
or dynastic authority. Government originates in the con-
John Locke sent of the people it presumes to lead and for their ben-
John Locke (1632–1704), an influential English political efit alone; its legitimacy is dependent on continuous
theorist of the Enlightenment (a philosophic movement adherence to such principles.
of the eighteenth century marked by a rejection of tradi- Locke thus advocated sovereignty based on reciprocal
tional social, religious, and political ideas and an empha- equality—a balance of powers and jurisdiction between