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Single Idea 19825

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

Full Idea

The sovereign can entrust the government to the entire people or to the majority of them. This is given the name 'democracy'.

Gist of Idea

If the sovereign entrusts government to at least half the citizens, that is 'democracy'

Source

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (The Social Contract (tr Cress) [1762], III.03)

Book Ref

Rousseau,Jean-Jacques: 'The Basic Political Writings', ed/tr. Cress,Donald A. [Hackett 1987], p.178

A Reaction

Note that democracy is here a form for the executive, not for the legislature. I take it that the general will must come close to unanimity, and a mere 51% support for fundamental legislation would never do. Increase the percentage with the importance?

The 34 ideas with the same theme [what democracy is]:

22559 Democracy is the worst of good constitutions, but the best of bad constitutions [Plato, by Aristotle]
87 Democracy is the best constitution for friendship, because it encourages equality [Aristotle]
2823 The many may add up to something good, even if they are inferior as individuals [Aristotle]
2826 Like water, large numbers of people are harder to corrupt than a few [Aristotle]
22560 Popular leaders only arise in democracies that are not in accord with the law [Aristotle]
22562 Choosing officials by lot is democratic [Aristotle]
22567 Democracy arises when people who are given equal freedom assume unconditional equality [Aristotle]
1541 It is better to be poor in a democracy than be rich without freedom [Democritus (attr)]
21938 Democracy needs respect for individuality, but the 'community of friends' implies strict equality [Grotius]
6682 Majority opinion is visible and authoritative, although not very clever [Pascal]
19887 Unanimous consent makes a united community, which is then ruled by the majority [Locke]
19901 The people have supreme power, to depose a legislature which has breached their trust [Locke]
19825 If the sovereign entrusts government to at least half the citizens, that is 'democracy' [Rousseau]
7229 People who transact their own business will also have the initiative to control their government [Mill]
22876 Democracy is the development of human nature when it shares in the running of communal activities [Dewey]
22875 Democracy is not just a form of government; it is a mode of shared living [Dewey]
23371 Modern democratic theory focuses on talk, not votes, because we need consensus or compromise [Kymlicka]
23254 Democracies should require a supermajority for major questions [Grayling]
23255 It is essential for democracy that voting is free and well informed [Grayling]
21131 Democracy is competition for support of the people, guided by self-interest on all sides [Posner]
20510 A system of democracy which includes both freedom and equality is almost impossible [Wolff,J]
20511 Democracy expresses equal respect (which explains why criminals forfeit the vote) [Wolff,J]
20502 Democracy has been seen as consistent with many types of inequality [Wolff,J]
20496 A true democracy could not tolerate slavery, exploitation or colonialism [Wolff,J]
21002 Effective democracy needs tolerant values [Sen]
20085 Democracy is the best compromise between legitimacy and efficiency [Reybrouck]
20559 Democracy is bad, but the other systems are worse [Swift]
20561 Since all opinions are treated as equal in democracy, it implies there are no right answers [Swift]
20562 Design your democracy to treat citizens equally, or to produce better citizens? [Swift]
20563 Design your democracy to yield political stability, or good decisions? [Swift]
21129 Democracy is a method of selection, or it involves participation, or it concerns public discussion [Shorten]
21130 Some say democracy is intrinsically valuable, others that it delivers good outcomes [Shorten]
20606 Epistemic theories defend democracy as more likely to produce the right answer [Tuckness/Wolf]
20600 Which areas of public concern should be decided democratically, and which not? [Tuckness/Wolf]