Democracy, A Perfect Or A Perfectible System?

By: Pedro Baram Kaptz

​

Democracy has become the topic of the moment in Mexico. Not accustomed to it, we think we are taking a very important step. But... is democracy the ideal system of government?

​

From presidentialism to democracy, what a great step we are taking. Finally we will be able to freely elect our rulers. But how to choose them? Who of the current presidential candidates will benefit all Mexicans? Is it perhaps the same definition of benefit that the indigenous people of Chiapas and the industrialists of N.L. have? Do these two groups have the same needs? We don't believe it in any way. However, the current democratic system considers us all equal in contrast to genetics that considers each of us unique beings.

​

Others would vote against him simply because he is the PRI candidate. In this way, in the new democratic Mexico, although it goes for us, all the votes have the same specific weight.

​

While at other times suffrage was considered a privilege that had to do with social or economic status, the modern concept emphasizes the idea that it is an indispensable act of participation of all citizens in democratic governments. But democracy does not guarantee good government; its effectiveness will depend on the political intelligence of its citizens and its leaders.

​

Democracy easily loses value through demagoguery that promotes fears, hopes and hatreds. Therefore, to achieve a healthy democracy, the need for political, social and economic education for all citizens as well as moderation in their leaders must be emphasized.

​

Philosophically, there have been several ideas that are worth taking up, no to accept or reject them but as an intellectual exercise that gives us greater clarity about democracy and the right to vote:

 

1. According to J.S. Mill, every human being, without taking into account his socio-economic status, has the right to vote. The only ones who are excluded are children, the mentally handicapped and criminals. The point to reflect would be how many people vote having the academic level not even of a primary school child.

 

2. Can a citizen exercise political freedom by voting without having economic freedom? Hamilton says that power over the subsistence of one human being over another means power over his will. Kant also supports this idea.

 

3. A condition of equality that according to J. S. Mill requires the status of citizen is that of the opportunity for education. Political freedom does not truly exist if citizens are not provided with an education that enables them to make an appropriate personal judgment about their rulers.

 

4. No form of government like today's democracy has a comparable burden since no other considers all citizens with the right to vote. In this form of government, Montesquieu declares "the full power of education is required." While despotism is preserved through fear and monarchy for a system of honor, democracy depends on civic virtue.

 

5. According to J.S. Mill democracy needs not only general education but also what he calls "the school of the public spirit." Only by participating in the functions of the government can man be competent as a citizen. By participating in civic activities, the citizen will be able to lean in favor of charitable actions for the majority instead of towards the actions that benefit them personally.

 

The concept of constitutional justice has had several changes, however that of democracy currently grants equality to all human beings based on being born humans. The problems of democratic government remain basically the same despite the fact that the concept of democracy has been different according to the time. There is the question of leadership and the need to obtain the political services of the most fit men without infringing the political prerogatives of every human being.

 

The differences between the equality of man from different points of view, inequalities in civic virtue or talents, must be taken into account politically if not for superiority in status, but because of the difficulty of the problems involved in the art of governing especially competent people.

 

The desire of Jefferson and J.S. Mill was the abolition of the privileged classes without losing the benefit of the leadership of individuals particularly gifted or educated politically, economically, socially and civically.

 

At all times there is the danger of the tyranny of the majority and under the threat of the revolution demagogues arise who use gang rules to move the masses and establish a dictatorship. According to Hobbes, the uneducated people are subject to the seduction of the good speaker and as a result democracy could tend to degenerate into a government guided by the most powerful speaker.

 

Shouldn't we consider institutions such as universities, chambers and associations as well as unions civic entities? Although made up of individuals whose vote is already recognized by the democratic system, these entities themselves represent a civic idiosyncracy probably with the right to vote.

 

Democracy and presidentialism seem to be on the same line. Current democracy is starting from a difficult assumption to accept. Presidentialism gives a single person, due to his knowledge of the national problem, an excessive weighting. What we really need is a democracy that recognizes all of us our right to vote, but that incorporates in its definition the civic and political consciousness, factors that should be considered in the weighting of the vote. Perhaps it is time for the Mexico encyclopedia to incorporate previously omitted words such as democracy, suffrage, vote, and election.