Democracy means majority rule
One size fits all democracies
Democracy equals a market economy
Democracy in one country
Democracy versus the courts
‘Demos’ versus ‘cosmos’
Democracy is whatever ‘democracies’ do
International IDEA Handbook on Democracy Assessment.
By way of conclusion it will be useful to summarise the main points of the argument and its findings, one by one:
• Democracy is to be defined in the first instance by its key principles of popular control and political equality, and only secondarily by the institutions through which these principles are realised (paras. 4-8).
• To realise these principles in a modern society requires three main conditions: a framework of guaranteed citizen rights, a system of representative and accountable political institutions subject to electoral authorisation, and an active civil society (paras. 9-19).
• Since majority rule is not always or necessarily democratic, special institutional provision
may have to be made for protecting the basic rights of minorities, and ensuring them a due
share in political and public office (paras. 22-27).
• Although democracy has historically been associated with a market economy, the free market
has significant negative consequences for human rights and democracy, which government
action is needed to mitigate (paras. 28-31).
• Since such action can be readily frustrated by the policies of international bodies and
transnational corporations, the former need to be made more representative and accountable,
and consideration be given to making the latter subject to human rights and environmental
standards and regulation (paras. 32-35).
• Independent enforcement of human rights by the courts against a democratically elected
government is not undemocratic, especially where these rights have been endorsed by
popular referendum as well as by the legislature (paras. 36-39).
• Dealing with threats to democracy without compromising human rights or democratic processes is one of the most difficult challenges facing democracies today (paras. 40-41).
• Although democracy requires an agreed ‘demos’ or people enjoying exclusive rights of citizenship, the standards against which its rights and institutions are to be judged have become increasingly internationalised (paras. 42-47).
• Democracy is not an all-or-nothing affair, but a matter of degree, and any country’s
institutions and practices can be assessed to discover the extent to which democratic
principles are realised within them (paras. 48-49).
• Because democracies in practice involve a compromise between popular forces and existing powers, the process of democratisation is never complete (paras. 50-51)."
• To realise these principles in a modern society requires three main conditions: a framework of guaranteed citizen rights, a system of representative and accountable political institutions subject to electoral authorisation, and an active civil society (paras. 9-19).
• Since majority rule is not always or necessarily democratic, special institutional provision
may have to be made for protecting the basic rights of minorities, and ensuring them a due
share in political and public office (paras. 22-27).
• Although democracy has historically been associated with a market economy, the free market
has significant negative consequences for human rights and democracy, which government
action is needed to mitigate (paras. 28-31).
• Since such action can be readily frustrated by the policies of international bodies and
transnational corporations, the former need to be made more representative and accountable,
and consideration be given to making the latter subject to human rights and environmental
standards and regulation (paras. 32-35).
• Independent enforcement of human rights by the courts against a democratically elected
government is not undemocratic, especially where these rights have been endorsed by
popular referendum as well as by the legislature (paras. 36-39).
• Dealing with threats to democracy without compromising human rights or democratic processes is one of the most difficult challenges facing democracies today (paras. 40-41).
• Although democracy requires an agreed ‘demos’ or people enjoying exclusive rights of citizenship, the standards against which its rights and institutions are to be judged have become increasingly internationalised (paras. 42-47).
• Democracy is not an all-or-nothing affair, but a matter of degree, and any country’s
institutions and practices can be assessed to discover the extent to which democratic
principles are realised within them (paras. 48-49).
• Because democracies in practice involve a compromise between popular forces and existing powers, the process of democratisation is never complete (paras. 50-51)."
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O sublinhado a negrito é uma escolha minha.
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Penso no governo da Irlanda do Norte. Foi ontem um dia grande para o seu povo. Mas o discurso político do primeiro-ministro não me apaziguou dúvidas sobre esta democracia nascente. Espero que os actos dos líderes do Ulster sejam mais sólidos do que as palavras defensivas e passivas que Ian Paisley proferiu.
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