Tyranny of the Majority
Thursday, 6. November 2008, 08:14:15
One of our politics course this year was democratisation. We traced democracy from Athens in 500 BC to present day United States and South Africa. I thought I was on the level, but after arguing and theorising in the exam, I walked out and was like "what is democracy really?" Not that I didn't think I knew before, its just that it has changed so much over the past couple of centuries.
It was all about active citizenship and getting involved in actual decision making in Athens politics. At present, its all about posessing freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and of course free markets in neo liberal democracies. I hope Im getting this all right, but in Athens people all had their say and had political equality. Today, although we say we have political equality, we don't really. I mean we elect or vote in people who we think can represent us, thus we give over some of our citizenship to other people and create a political elite. Right? Or do we as the majority really have a great say in the government?
Would they (the political elite) really listen to us if we had to go to parliament and voice our opinions? I doubt they would, I would proabably be kicked out right? So how can we saw its equal and we are citizens? We are just voters.
What stood out for me was Meiksons Wood's theory that in an exlusive society (where some people can't vote, like Athens 500 BC where slaves couldn't ?vote? or play a role in politics) is more active in its citizenship. But in an inclusive society where everyone can vote, the society has more passive voting and citizenship.
But with what little say I have I will say it in our elections coming up soon.
It was all about active citizenship and getting involved in actual decision making in Athens politics. At present, its all about posessing freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and of course free markets in neo liberal democracies. I hope Im getting this all right, but in Athens people all had their say and had political equality. Today, although we say we have political equality, we don't really. I mean we elect or vote in people who we think can represent us, thus we give over some of our citizenship to other people and create a political elite. Right? Or do we as the majority really have a great say in the government?
Would they (the political elite) really listen to us if we had to go to parliament and voice our opinions? I doubt they would, I would proabably be kicked out right? So how can we saw its equal and we are citizens? We are just voters.
What stood out for me was Meiksons Wood's theory that in an exlusive society (where some people can't vote, like Athens 500 BC where slaves couldn't ?vote? or play a role in politics) is more active in its citizenship. But in an inclusive society where everyone can vote, the society has more passive voting and citizenship.
But with what little say I have I will say it in our elections coming up soon.
WIDGETIZE