Notes on Ball & Dagger text
Chapter 2
The Democratic Ideal

In reading this chapter, pay attention to the following:

• the difference between democracy as an ideal and the different conceptions of democracy held by competing ideologies — not just ours, but also those of the communist bloc nations.
• what "democracy" originally meant, and how it has risen, declined, and been resuscitated since the time of the Greeks.
• what "republicanism" is, and how it changed between the time of the Greeks and now.
• what the authors mean when they say that democracy is an "essentially contested concept".  Philosophically-inclined students might also note how the argument for the "essentially contested" nature of democracy violates the naturalistic fallacy, i.e., the attempt to prove statements of value solely from statements of fact.

The Origins of Democracy

Athenian democracy;  participation of all ("all" = adult, free, male, citizen), made possible for all.  Selection via lot (i.e., lottery)

Public-spirited vs. self-interested

But no rights prior to the state (e.g., no freedom to criticize the state)

Plato's criticism of democracy as unstable and unjust — still common themes today

Aristotle's "polity" of middle-class rule

Fig 2.1 Classification of governments

Democracy & Republic

The Republic & Mixed Government

Mixed government (several classes) implies checks & balances (Polybius, Roman Republic), which implies the good of the entire community.

Christianity & Democracy

Apolitical Christianity;  then also divine right of kings.  Fixed roles in feudal times.

Renaissance & Republicanism

Contact with Islam & Aristotle.  Italian city-states.  Renaissance & power of this life.  Decline of church rule & rise of absolute monarchies.  Machiavellian argument for republic.

The Atlantic Republican Tradition

The Return of Democracy

17th Century Democrats

Roger Williams & religious liberty.  Levellers & the consent of the governed

The United States as Democratic Republic

Constitution as republican, not democratic.  Jefferson & anti-Federalists;  Jackson & Democrats

De Tocqueville on Democracy

Local participation as key to making democracy responsible.

The Growth of Democracy

Democracy as self-protection and self-development.  Extension of franchise.

Democracy as an Ideal

Rule by the people — people as source of authority.  How to translate?

Three Conceptions of Democracy

Liberal democracy

Social democracy

People's democracy

Lecture notes:

[On board:  essentially contested;  naturalistic fallacy;  Platonism vs. Aristotelianism;  democracy;  republic;  collective good;  majoritarianism]

Primary election tomorrow.

Quiz?  [Remind that "didn't read" = half credit]

Democracy has multiple meanings, variation through time & culture

"Essentially contested" [W. B. Gallie (1956).  Essentially Contested Concepts.  Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society.]

• famous concept
• the meaning of the term
• the misuse of the term
  • factual disagreement does not imply normative disagreement [naturalistic fallacy]
  • possibility of coming to agreement via agreed-upon criteria.  Maybe Gallie is right in terms of forced agreement via deductive logic, but human thought is more than that.

Original meaning of democracy:  bad (the demos) + rule (-cracy;  Gr. kratia).  Fear of faction and especially leveling.  Fear that rule by all will degrade the integrity (wholeness;  unity) and collective good of the state.

The republican (small r) tradition:  res publica — the general interest.  Move to rule by & for the people.  "Red republicanism" vs. monarchy.

Aristotle — polity — public reasons, public good, government of laws ... [vs. Platonic ideal and the philosopher-king]

... vs. corruption [which Machiavelli condemned]

What does "general interest" mean?

• Collective goods [Give examples:  defense;  Pure Food & Drug Act]
• Everyone benefits equally [as with defense]?
• Everyone benefits positively to some extent [as with the police]?
• Everyone benefits in total, though some may be hurt [as with support of railroads over canal boats]?

How do we ensure democracy in the face of

• majoritarianism (violating rights)
• selfishness (negative or zero net impact);  class rule vs. public benefit

For next time:  notice that the Aristotle reading uses new language and a different cultural context.

Potential quiz questions:

• According to the text, what did "democracy' originally mean?
• Name one way in which classical Greek democracy would be considered undemocratic by today's standards (not counting the Greeks' exclusion of women & slaves from political life).
• Name one of the two events that the text claims stifled or even reversed the idea that the best rule is one where the people ruled.  Explain why/how that event did so.

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