Democratic Ideals
Encyclopedia
Democratic Ideals is a rhetorical phrase used to denote either personal qualities or standards of government behavior that are felt to be essential for the continuation of a democratic
policy
. Advocates for causes across the political spectrum use this phrase in attempting to engage in persuasion, particularly by contrasting some situation which has been allowed to continue for pragmatic or social reasons, but which those advocating action regard as being wrong in principle. Advocates for greater equality in the distribution of wealth, for example, will argue that inequalities create differing levels of opportunity, and that equality is a "democratic ideal". Other times, advocates of one political outlook or another will use the phrase to energize support among their constituencies, despite knowing that their political opponents use precisely the same phrase to do precisely the same thing. http://www.ashbrook.org/publicat/oped/zvesper/04/gop.htmlhttp://google.com/search?q=cache:8gffKzweBuoJ:www.dentondemocrats.org/+%22Democratic+Ideals%22&hl=en&start=1
Frequently the importance of human rights
is listed as a central democratic ideal http://google.com/search?q=cache:1V__WVX4N_QJ:www.tysknews.com/Depts/gov_philosophy/foundations_of_human_rights.htm+%22Democratic+Ideals%22&hl=en&start=9http://google.com/search?q=cache:YJQvvM-C9nsJ:usinfo.state.gov/dhr/Archive/2004/May/17-697855.html+%22Democratic+Ideals%22&hl=en&start=11, as well as instilling in military and civilian governmental personnel the attitudes and methods which will prevent their actions from infringing on those rights.http://google.com/search?q=cache:lOvayW6QHiEJ:gseweb.harvard.edu/~t656_web/peace/Articles_Spring_2004/Cummings_Briana_American_revolution.htm+%22Democratic+Ideals%22&hl=en&start=3
Democratic ideals are often cited as a reason for patriotism
, for example Woodrow Wilson's
argument that America needed to enter World War I
in order to make the world "safe for democracy".
, self-government, self-determination
and freedom of conscience
.
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
policy
Policy
A policy is typically described as a principle or rule to guide decisions and achieve rational outcome. The term is not normally used to denote what is actually done, this is normally referred to as either procedure or protocol...
. Advocates for causes across the political spectrum use this phrase in attempting to engage in persuasion, particularly by contrasting some situation which has been allowed to continue for pragmatic or social reasons, but which those advocating action regard as being wrong in principle. Advocates for greater equality in the distribution of wealth, for example, will argue that inequalities create differing levels of opportunity, and that equality is a "democratic ideal". Other times, advocates of one political outlook or another will use the phrase to energize support among their constituencies, despite knowing that their political opponents use precisely the same phrase to do precisely the same thing. http://www.ashbrook.org/publicat/oped/zvesper/04/gop.htmlhttp://google.com/search?q=cache:8gffKzweBuoJ:www.dentondemocrats.org/+%22Democratic+Ideals%22&hl=en&start=1
Frequently the importance of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
is listed as a central democratic ideal http://google.com/search?q=cache:1V__WVX4N_QJ:www.tysknews.com/Depts/gov_philosophy/foundations_of_human_rights.htm+%22Democratic+Ideals%22&hl=en&start=9http://google.com/search?q=cache:YJQvvM-C9nsJ:usinfo.state.gov/dhr/Archive/2004/May/17-697855.html+%22Democratic+Ideals%22&hl=en&start=11, as well as instilling in military and civilian governmental personnel the attitudes and methods which will prevent their actions from infringing on those rights.http://google.com/search?q=cache:lOvayW6QHiEJ:gseweb.harvard.edu/~t656_web/peace/Articles_Spring_2004/Cummings_Briana_American_revolution.htm+%22Democratic+Ideals%22&hl=en&start=3
Democratic ideals are often cited as a reason for patriotism
Patriotism
Patriotism is a devotion to one's country, excluding differences caused by the dependencies of the term's meaning upon context, geography and philosophy...
, for example Woodrow Wilson's
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
argument that America needed to enter World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in order to make the world "safe for democracy".
Other uses of the term
In historical texts, the phrase is often used to denote aspirations or norms of behavior, separate from a functioning democracy, including egalitarianismEgalitarianism
Egalitarianism is a trend of thought that favors equality of some sort among moral agents, whether persons or animals. Emphasis is placed upon the fact that equality contains the idea of equity of quality...
, self-government, self-determination
Self-determination
Self-determination is the principle in international law that nations have the right to freely choose their sovereignty and international political status with no external compulsion or external interference...
and freedom of conscience
Conscience
Conscience is an aptitude, faculty, intuition or judgment of the intellect that distinguishes right from wrong. Moral judgement may derive from values or norms...
.
See also
- LiberalismLiberalismLiberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
- RepublicRepublicA republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
- Open societyOpen societyThe open society is a concept originally developed by philosopher Henri Bergson and then by Austrian and British philosopher Karl Popper. In open societies, government is purported to be responsive and tolerant, and political mechanisms are said to be transparent and flexible...
- Pluralism
- Democratic socialismDemocratic socialismDemocratic socialism is a description used by various socialist movements and organizations to emphasize the democratic character of their political orientation...
- ConstitutionConstitutionA constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
- Political philosophyPolitical philosophyPolitical philosophy is the study of such topics as liberty, justice, property, rights, law, and the enforcement of a legal code by authority: what they are, why they are needed, what, if anything, makes a government legitimate, what rights and freedoms it should protect and why, what form it...
- The Federalist Papers
Citations and references
- Ellis, Elisabeth Gaynor et al. "World History: Connections to Today." Pearson Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-13-434326-3
- Schmiechen, James et al. "A History of Western Society." Houghton-Mifflin, ISBN 0-395-90440-4
- Davis, James E. "Addison-Wesley Civics: Participating in Our Democracy." Addison Wesley Publishing, ISBN 0-201-22463-1
- Zvesper, John Republicans Must Emphasize Their Democratic Ideals April 2004
- Powell, ColinColin PowellColin Luther Powell is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African American to serve in that position. During his military...
Secretary's preface to "Supporting Human Rights and Democracy" report May 17, 2004 - Cummings, Briana "A Tame Revolution? Explaining Soldiers’ Restraint Toward Civilians in the American War of Independence" May, 2004
- Eric Barr, et al. A More Perfect Union - The History of Democracy 1999
- Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, James Madison The Federalist Papers 1787
- Emerson, Ralph Waldo "Self Reliance - Essays (First Series) 1841
- McGettigan, Timothy "The Big Fib: Democratic Ideals in an Unprincipled World" 2003