The Idea of Reason and Democracy - Essay Example

Here, people are free to choose their leaders that they deem to be able to bring their country to a better place (Democracy - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Dictionary and Thesaurus - Merriam-Webster Online. N.p., n.d.). Reason, on the other hand, is an idea that is always associated with the effective implementation of democracy. It holds that every free act should be guided by moral laws where one’s freedom stops where another’s freedom begins. Reason also supports that every act should be for the greater good and not only satisfy individual benefits and interests.

My own take to the principle of having Democracy influenced by the principle of reason at all times to be appropriate and the only key to possibly enjoy the fruits of democracy. This is because of the fact that though people are innately good, we are also battling the tendency to be selfish and to put our own interest first over the general good. Thus, if democracy were to function on its own, the presence of different interests of people which will lead to a wide array of actions that will fulfill their own purposes would cause unavoidable clash of interests that will step on other people’s freedom to act on their desires.

This will be the cause of chaos in society that would defeat the purpose of democracy. As John Milton has given as an example to the tendency of evil when freedom is given without considering moral laws would be Adam and Eve. We all know that both of them have intellect and freewill and were given freedom to enjoy whatever was there in the Garden of Eden. However, even when they were given specific instructions by God to eat of the fruits of all tress except for the Tree of Good and Evil, they still struggled with obedience and ate the apple the snake lured them into (Milton's Areopagitica. St. Lawrence Institute. N.p., n.d.). Indeed, no matter how we are meant to be instruments of good by being blessed with a freedom that naturally directs us to do good, we will constantly fall into temptation and sin which is why there is a need for managing of our wisdom and freewill which in our case would be the government that would balance democracy or freedom with reason or moral law.

Another point Milton makes is that with freedom comes the desire to learn and have more. With this, there will be arguing of many opinions waiting to be heard. Though the end is good, the means are threatened to take the darker path which brings us to the principle that “the means does not justify the end” (Milton's Areopagitica. St. Lawrence Institute. N.p., n.d.). The worse fear of democracy without moral law is when men start to take the law into their own hands and rationalize everything to fit into their plan even when it means succumbing to evil.

Another strong point made regarding this thesis would be that of Cicero’s excerpts. On the influence of law in the practice of democracy, he said: “True law is right reason in agreement with nature; it is of universal application… The welfare of the people is the ultimate law. The precepts of the law are these: to live honestly, to injure no one, and to give everyone else his due. According to the law of nature it is only fair that no one should become richer through damages and injuries suffered by another.

The strictest law often causes the most serious wrong. The more laws, the less justice. …