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Single Idea 22876

[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / a. Nature of democracy ]

Full Idea

Democracy is but a name for the fact that human nature is developed only when its elements take part in directing things which are common, things for the sake of which men and women form groups.

Gist of Idea

Democracy is the development of human nature when it shares in the running of communal activities

Source

John Dewey (The Middle Works (15 vols, ed Boydston) [1910], 12:199), quoted by David Hildebrand - Dewey 4 'Democracy'

Book Ref

Hildebrand,David: 'Dewey' [One World 2008], p.121

A Reaction

It is hard to prove that human nature develops when it particpates in groups. If people are excluded from power, their loyalty tends to switch to sub-groups, such as friends in a pub, or a football team. Powerless nationalists baffle me.

The 19 ideas from John Dewey

22866 Mind is never isolated, but only exists in its interactions [Dewey]
22873 Liberalism should improve the system, and not just ameliorate it [Dewey]
22872 Liberals aim to allow individuals to realise their capacities [Dewey]
22870 No belief can be so settled that it is not subject to further inquiry [Dewey]
22869 Knowledge is either the product of competent enquiry, or it is meaningless [Dewey]
22867 The quest for certainty aims for peace, and avoidance of the stress of action [Dewey]
22864 Philosophy is the study and criticsm of cultural beliefs, to achieve new possibilities [Dewey]
22879 'God' is an imaginative unity of ideal values [Dewey]
22877 We should try attaching the intensity of religious devotion to intelligent social action [Dewey]
22880 The things in civilisation we prize are the products of other members of our community [Dewey]
22878 Religions are so shockingly diverse that they have no common element [Dewey]
22871 The good people are those who improve; the bad are those who deteriorate [Dewey]
22876 Democracy is the development of human nature when it shares in the running of communal activities [Dewey]
22865 Habits constitute the self [Dewey]
22874 Individuality is only developed within groups [Dewey]
22868 The value and truth of knowledge are measured by success in activity [Dewey]
22875 Democracy is not just a form of government; it is a mode of shared living [Dewey]
21516 We want certainty in order achieve secure results for action [Dewey]
8478 Dewey argued long before Wittgenstein that there could not seriously be a private language [Dewey, by Orenstein]