morality & democracy

7/31/2019 Morality & Democracy

1/16

A form of government wheresupreme power is held completely

the people under a free electoralsystem

people refers to a community ofpersons working together for a

common purpose

taken from two Greek words demos (people); kratos rule or strength


2/16

majority rules- characteristic feature

has its origin in Athens, Greece &

is considered as the last form ofgovernment


3/16

Representative- officials are chosen thruelections

Direct- citizens participate in decisionmaking personally

Socialists- believe in a form ofparticipatory & workplacedemocracy


4/16

Anarchistaccepts the direct democracy Eroquoisaccepts both participatory &

representative form of democracy Sortition- a.k.a.democracy without electionprocess of choosing decisionmakers via a random process,

e.g. jury selection

Consensusrequires only the consensusof the group rather than the great majority

Interactiveutilizes informationTechnology to involve voters in law making,provide a system for new laws & for prioritizingproposals


5/16

man as an Autocentric being

the only animal who can choose between

courses of action he alone can say NO in the face of thegreatest temptation or adversity

enjoys Political Freedom

how can man be free when he is bound to obeymoral & positive laws?

human freedom is never absolute; liberty & dutyare governed by principle of justice; our freedom

stops when other freedom starts


6/16

the basic tenets of democracy as goodgovernment:

Laws of the state arein consonance with naturallaw

Binding in conscience


7/16

the right of the people to rule themselvesis exercised by the elected officials

in giving elected officials with authority

man do not surrender their right for self-government

Notion of Vicariousness

elected officials are rulers invested withreal authority or right to govern


8/16


how can people delegate authority& keep it at the same time?

applicable for material things

NOT applicable for IMMATERIALthings like MORAL RIGHTS,

AUTHORITY, TRUTH & LOVE

the more they are shared the PURER &more enduring it becomes


9/16


elected officials exercise withgenuine authority

authority can obliged people to obey them have right to be obeyed for the sake ofthe COMMON GOOD

laws enacted by duly elected officials arebinding in conscience

Authority solicits POWER


10/16


11/16

MAN & STATE relation in aDEMOCRATIC FORM OF Government

over emphasis on state

importance, belittles individual &leads to fallacy ofcollectivism ortotalitarianism

over emphasis importance of

individual, belittles the state & leads toindividualistic anarchism


12/16

Christian Democracy

characterized by the concept ofPERSONHOOD & COMMON GOOD

man is a person which transcendindividuality & finds fulfillment onlyin group life

man is a person with dignity asImago Dei


13/16

Right to Revolt unjust laws are not binding conscience;are not according to reason & natural law

thus NOT to be obeyed resistance to unjust laws is justifiable defense

man possesses inalienable & inviolableright to defend his natural right

has moral obligation to defend his rightagainst unjust or aggressor rulers has the right to revolt against unjust rulers


14/16

Right to Revolt conditions where revolution is justifiable;

government becomes substantially tyrannical( has lost sight of the common good) constitutional procedures of reforms &redress have failed reasonable probability that revolution will besuccessful great majority consider the government assubstantially tyrannical


15/16

Capital Punishment

the state has the right to inflict capitalpunishment if the common good demands it

the State has NO right to take away lifeBUT there are instances whenOFFENDERS, because of their CRIMES ,have FORFEITED the exercise of their RIGHT

to life

justly condemned offenders because oftheir criminal acts has FORFEITED their rightto live


16/16

Capital Punishment Death penalty is a necessary meansto deter men from atrocious crimes

the State has the right to inflict death topreserve its existence against the mostdangerous elements of the society

unabated commission of heinous crimescalls for its imposition

morality & democracy

Documents