Link between Democracy and Reason - Essay Example

The Link between Democracy and Reason Human nature not only has the ability to reason but has the distinct characteristic of reasoning. It is through this characteristic that human beings have been and are able to justify their actions or practices in as far as political spheres. In the political realm, democracy is encouraged and practised widely especially in the rule of law and governments of tyranny and dictatorship are shunned amidst wide public disapproval. The ideas of reason and democracy albeit being different are tightly linked and must be upheld jointly particularly in laws and decisions that affect society. In the speech “Repeal of the Missouri Compromise,” former U.S President Abraham Lincoln noted that basic understanding of democracy is that citizens must be given equal say to their government and that thus, democracy derives its powers from the consent of those it governs. Likewise, the rules of democracy are the same for those that govern as those that are governed. The basics of democracy align with views of what is considered good or bad in fairness and equality of all persons (Lincoln 6). Reason derives from the same thought that man, in his thinking, cognitive ability, and intellect is able to understand good and bad. All aspects of democracy cannot exist without reasoning which is part of every human being. What one person or a group of people perceive and believe to be right or otherwise is expressed in exercise of democratic right. Abraham Lincoln’s speech given in Peoria supports this ideal. He quotes from the U.S Declaration of Independence which consents to the truth that all men having being created equal have the basic rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness (Lincoln 7). In this speech Lincoln outwardly speaks of the wrong about the Missouri Compromise which in its passing in 1820 sought to create a ‘balance’ between Western U.S states that were pro-slavery and anti-slavery. Lincoln’s view was that slavery does not comply with either of the democratic views of governing with consent of the governed and application of the same rules to both the governing and the governed. In his view too, Lincoln argued that moral reason did not agree with Whites having the right to self-government while Blacks having no such rights yet all are under one government and under the same Declaration of Independence. Democracy all over the world is practised uniquely to each country. Principles and traditions of different nations often influence the understanding of democracy and it is only fair to respect each nation’s understanding of this whether the democratic policies are agreeable or not. However, there are some universal beliefs and attitudes, derived from reasoning that must be addressed by every democracy. These beliefs and attitudes are manifest in human rights that each nation must adhere to. The rights to free-state and peaceful living are from logical thinking and they cannot be thought of separately from democracy. As a nation, United States of America justifies its war with Afghanistan with the democratic right of American citizens to security and peaceful living. The U.S pursuit of Al Qaeda is supported by the U.S president’s obligation as well as the entire government’s duty to keep intact the democratic rights promised to its citizens in the U.S constitution (Obama 2) Another issue that proves the close link between reason and democracy is that reason is public and it is free just as democracy is. Whatever man thinks of or applies logic to is up to him just as the same man is free to make a democratic choice as he sees fit to his thinking or logic. In the Theban Dialogue between Theseus and the Theban Herald, Theseus describes the state of freedom as one which permits an individual to speak or remain silent as he chooses to (Euripides_The Suppliant_Trans. Coleridge 2). No one person can prevent another human from naturally applying reasoning to justify actions of behaviours. Likewise in democracy not even the leaders or ‘superior’ persons can prevent the poor or minority from exercising their right. Democracies can thus not be set up or operated without the deep rooted application of reasoning (Winthrop 2). Even so, not all forms of reason can be adequate to make sense of and justify all things thus democracy in this regard should only be applicable to the ‘allowable’ extent of reasoning in whatever way it may be defined and understood. Human reasoning is not void of the thought of cause and effect. As man applies logic thinking into an idea or situation he seldom fails to use his intellect to deduce the cause of an existing situation and the effect that will be the outcome of any action henceforth. A simple illustration of this is that a parent whilst thinking about what future a child will have must consider the effects following what is done to or for that child. In considering this, the parent will know that the effect of lack of discipline and training of the child will be bad behaviour or vice versa. In more complex illustration, laws that are created and followed in democratic governments must consider the elements of cause and effect. Anyone who believes in reason cannot fail to believe in democracy because both ideas share the belief of an outcome or effect for every action or situation. Knowing the negative or positive effects of any act or situation, democracies will often set up stringent measures such as laws to combat negative effects from bad actions and measures to encourage positive effects will often be encouraged (United Nations 3). That is why democracy is accepting of penal laws for actions such as crime hence showing that in the same way that reason justifies good rewards for good and bad rewards for bad, so does democracy. Elements of democracy are subject to change and self-improvement in time. Democratic views and laws do not merely change out of the necessity to evolve but they are amended in response to continuous conscious thinking about existing facts as well as new facts. The idea of reasoning seeks to improve as intellect is enhanced. As new information is accessed and as facts change so does the meaning and implication of democracy (Hobbes 4). Democracy in itself can be correctly assumed to be an outcome of conscious thinking in as much as it does come from the need to establish fairness, equality, and justice. Intellect comes with more understanding which alters reasoning and further justifies the actions of democratic institutions. Democracy is of an entire group be it in a nation or beyond. Within an entire group is the ability to reason and this is what creates the capacity for democracy to exist hence belief in reason must always exist alongside belief in democracy. Works Cited Barack, Obama. Remarks by the President on a New Beginning. Barack Speech at Cairo. Cairo University Cairo, Egypt. June 04, 2009. Speech Euripides. “The Suppliant.” Trans. Coleridge, E. P. 422 B.C.E. Web. 02 June 2013. Hobbes, Thomas. “The Social Contract: Chapter XII of the natural condition of mankind as concerning their felicity and misery.” Web. 02 June 2013. Lincoln, Abraham. Speech on the Repeal of the Missouri Compromise. Speech at Peoria. Illinois. October 16, 1854. Speech. Milton, John. Speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicensed Printing. Mr.John Milton Speech to the Parliament of England. England. 1644. Speech. United Nations. The General Assembly. Universal Declaration of Human Rights. New York: United Nations, 1948. Web. 02 June 2013. United States. Cong. The Constitution: Amendments 11-27. n.p The National Archives Experience, 1974- 1992. Web 02 June 2013. United Nations. The General Assembly. Convention on the Rights of the Child. New York: United Nations, 1989. Web. 02 June 2013. Winthrop, John. On Liberty. Speech before the Massachusetts General Court. Massachusetts. 1645. Speech. Read More