What is the Essence of Democracy?
N.K.Assumi
(Querist) 17 October 2008
This query is : Resolved
What is the Essence of Democracy and the Rule of Law?
Guest
(Expert) 17 October 2008
Right of people to elect their representative.
Rule of law- Rule not by men but by law.
Adv.Shine Thomas
(Expert) 18 October 2008
Democracy is "to the people,for the people,and by the people".The essential pre-condition of democracy is rule of law.
K.C.Suresh
(Expert) 18 October 2008
Dear Assumi,
As your question is a deabating one in the present scenario of India I hope the words of Mahatma Gandhi about the essence of democracy will enlighten all about the subject. Kindly respond with your reaction after reading the noble words of the great Indian, our Father of Nation.
Essence Of Democracy
The spirit of democracy is not a mechanical thing to be adjusted by abolition of forms. It requires change of the heart…..[It] requires the inculcation of the spirit of brotherhood.... (YI, 8-12-1920, p. 3)
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Democracy must in essence … mean the art and science of mobilizing the entire physical, economic and spiritual resources of all the various sections of the people in the service of the common good of all.
(H, 27-5-1939, p. 143)
Discipline
The highest form of freedom carries with it the greatest measure of discipline and humility. Freedom that comes from discipline and humility cannot be denied; unbridled license is a sign of vulgarity injurious alike to self and one’s neighbours. (YI, 3-6-1926, p. 203)
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Democracy disciplined and enlightened is the finest thing in the world. A democracy prejudiced, ignorant, superstitious, will land itself in chaos and may be self-destroyed. (YI, 30-7-1931, p. 199)
Responsibility Of Individual
In true democracy every man and woman is taught to think for himself or herself. How this real revolution can be brought about I do not know except that every reform, like charity must begin at home.
(H, 14-7-1946, p. 220)
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In democracy, the individual will is government and limited by the social will which is the State, which is government by and for democracy. If every individual takes the law into his own hands, there is no State. it becomes anarchy, i.e., absence of social law or State, that way lies destruction of liberty. Therefore, you should subdue your anger and let the State secure justice. (H, 28-9-1947, p. 350)
The Test
The truest test of democracy is in the ability of anyone to act as he likes, so long as he does not injure the life or property of anyone else. It is impossible to control public morals by hooliganism.
(YI, 1-8-1920, p. 4)
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A born democrat is a born disciplinarian. Democracy comes naturally to him who is habituated normally to yield willing obedience to all laws, human or divine…. Let those who are ambitious to serve democracy qualify themselves by satisfying first this acid test of democracy. More over, a democrat must be utterly selfless. He must think and dream not in terms of self or party but only of democracy. Only then does he acquire the right of civil disobedience.
I do not want anybody to give up his convictions or to suppress himself. I do not believe that a healthy and honest difference of opinion will injure our cause. But opportunism, camouflage or patched-up compromises certainly will. If you must dissent, you should take care that your opinion voice your innermost convictions and are not intended merely as a convenient party cry. (H, 27-5-1939, p. 136)
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Democracy will break under the strain of apron strings. It can exist only on trust. (H, 16-11-1947, p. 409)
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Capital exploits the labour of a few to multiply itself. The sum total of the labour of the cores, wisely realized, automatically increases the wealth of the cores, therein lies true democracy, true Panchayat Raj. (H, 28-12-1947, p. 488)
Representation In Democracy
I hold it to be an utter delusion to believe that a large number of de
Guest
(Expert) 18 October 2008
Thanks to Mr. Assumi for asking the question and thanks to Mr. Suresh for giving such a comprehensive answer!
I feel enlightened.....
N.K.Assumi
(Querist) 18 October 2008
Thanks all of you, infact I am really enlightened like Mr.Sabah. The short lines of Mr.Kotresh, outbeat ocean of ink and the philosophical lines of Mr.Shine and Mr.K.C.Suresh, with Mahatma Gandhi concept of democracy are really poetic, poignant worth hanging in the office room of our Indian Leaders. yes,I can only say that the essence of Democracy is to obey no master but the law.From here we can only introspect ourselves where we are today.
Yes, there are certain drawbacks in every democracy, but the western are now shifting from traditional democracy to Deep democracy as propounded by Arny Mindell in 1988, whereas we are still grappling with the problems of realizing the ideals of traditional democracy, and God only knows when democracy will prevail in India. According to Arny Mindell "Deep Democracy is our sense that the world is here to help us to become our entire selves, and that we are here to help the world to become one whole" This again resembles Mahatma Gandhi ideals of democracy, in fine each of us must try to bring a change in ourselves and if we do that not democracy but Deep Democracy will prevail in India.Once again thanks to all of you
K.C.Suresh
(Expert) 19 October 2008
Dear Mr. Assumi
It is not the ink that concerns but the sharing of knowledge that is important. The person who ask the querry if not like lengthy answeres that is an embarassing situation in accademical line that too when revels indeirectly that he dislikes lengthy answers but short one. It won't drift anybody to any shore. The experts or anybody who answers the querry is taking some pain behind the answer and some home work to give an answer. That must be respected by all. It is the minmum courtsy by others. 31 years of experience in this profession is nothing simple but great as far as I am concerned. My accademical curiosity is the reason to give a lengthy answer. I take your querry as a real genuine accademical curiositical one. But if it has certain pre-conditions like short answers I can't help. Mahatma Gandhi is really poetical becuase democracy and its concept realy is poetic. Here after I will try not to pour more ink in your quest for knowledge. Thank you. Good luck, With regards SureshKC.
N.K.Assumi
(Querist) 20 October 2008
Thank you again.
Adv.Shine Thomas
(Expert) 20 October 2008
A special thanks to Mr.Assumi and Mr.Suresh.
