Authoritarian regimes may be the most effective and efficient political system in history. One man or a group of elites as the sole leader of a nation exercises absolute control and power, and, with no dissents, can galvanize and unify the entire nation to bring tremendous economic and militaristic success. Even Plato promoted this view, claiming in his Republic that an aristocracy with the philosopher king as its head would be the ideal form of the government. The effectiveness of dictatorship has also manifested in the real world – the Asian Tigers. South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore all experienced drastic economic developments and progress under their dictatorial governments in the latter half of the 20th century, achieving the level of economic advancement and efficiency that seemed unfeasible. However, despite the benefits of Authoritarianism, the people themselves were not content with such a system of life.
On May 18th, 1980, a soldier clubs a student on the streets of Gwangju, South Korea. The student falls on his knees, his back tattered with raw skin and flowing blood. However, with intensely burning set of eyes, he stands up again, and, though he is struck again, he still stands tall, with a sharp cry of “democracy” that resonates throughout the street. He is not the only one; next to him are thousands of other students and adults, all battered yet shouting in unison for the revival of democracy. They could not stop; if they did, the country would descend upon another 18 years of authoritarian rule that, despite its economic triumph, deprived the citizens of their security, freedom, and dignity. Thus, despite confronting the Death itself, these men chose to stand tall in the face of democracy, for themselves, for their posterity, for their nation.
The story of the struggle for democracy is not exclusive to South Korea, as there are myriads of similar instances throughout the history of humanity, such as the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, when million people protested while bullets and shells were raining down on them. Here, we must ask ourselves, what is a democracy, when history has shown that a dictatorship might be more effective? What is it that compelled these men and women to lay down their lives in its name, when the political system under which they lived brought success to their countries and when clubs, bullets, and shells were dropping on them? Why is it important to live in a democracy?
Definition of Democracy
Derived from the Greek Demos (People) and Kratos (Rule), democracy, in a rudimentary sense, means the rule of the people. Nowadays, it is associated as a political system where the citizens have the power to elect representatives who would carry out their self-interests. However, such definition does injustice to democracy and to those who fought for its name. Though democracy initially started as a political system, it has seen a genealogical development through the course of history.
Democracy is no longer a mere political system, but rather is an ideal that symbolizes freedom and safety. It bestows an individual the power to choose the course over his or her own life, and, although it does not guarantee them the happiness itself, it provides the door for the pursuit of happiness. Only through democracy, man possesses agency, the capacity to act according to own volition. It separates humanity from mechanical automatons. Essentially, it enables humanity to retain its essence and dignity; it respects human beings for their identity as human beings.
Benefits of Democracy Through Ethics
The benefits of democracy could be captured through employing the ethical lens of utilitarianism (a moral theory that promotes the greatest well-being for the largest number of people), deontology (an approach to ethics that focuses on the rightness of actions themselves), and virtue ethics (an approach that focuses on the character and habits of the individual).
First of all, democracy maximizes the benefit for the majority, as it looks for promoting the self-interest and utility of the majority rather than a select few. In a democracy, everyone has political power, unlike other political systems such as monarchy, oligarchy, and totalitarianism. Such political power is not a prerogative to the rich, white, or men; it is a birthright to an individual as a human being. Thus, the term “people” involves a spectrum of individuals, ranging from the lower-class to high-class, males and females to the LGBTQIA+ community, white and blacks to Asians and Hispanic. Instead of only the opinion of the authoritarian ruler or of a group of elitists holding as significant, every view in democracy matters in an equal way. Consequently, more individuals are regarded and considered when making societal and political decisions, whereas only the leadership would be the primary concern in an authoritarian state.
Secondly, democracy also promotes the Kantian categorical imperative of treating human beings as ends in themselves. Treating human beings as ends means that one respects the other individual solely for his identity as a human being, and, due to such, does not employ the life of others to achieve own self-interest or desire. In a democracy, everyone is entitled to their own life and dignity as a human being, but no one possesses the right to interfere with the other’s life. Everyone is a master of his or her own life, not a slave or a mean to others’ ends; they pursue their happiness solely through their agency. Here, democracy grants humanity two forms of equality: everyone as human beings and as ends in themselves.
Accordingly, democratic societies cherish human rights, which is the codification of man’s inherent right to life. People can exercise the freedom of expression to express their opinions and thoughts freely. They can invoke their freedom of religion to pursue whatever faith they desire. They can redress their grievances to the government through public gathering or lobbying. All these rights serve to promote a person’s life and existence. Therefore, it would not be an outlandish claim to make that democracy is perhaps the ideal form of a system of society that respects a human being like a proper human being.
Ultimately, a democracy develops individuals into better people by developing virtue and character of the people. In a discussion-driven democratic society, individuals partake in active political conversations and debates with other members to arrive at a better conclusion. Through constantly considering the opinions of others and potential consequences of actions upon the collective whole, not just oneself, the individuals become more aware and selfless, enhancing their characters and the virtues as human beings.
Problems with Democracy Today
However, in today’s society, the term democracy has been tarnished, becoming more synonymous to incompetence and imperfection. The root derives from democracy’s most significant potential liability, which is the irrationality of the mass. As warned by Alexis de Tocqueville as the “Tyranny of Majority,” a democratic system can be turned to a demagogic system if the irrationality of the ruler prevails over their rational sense. The world has witnessed instances such as Hitler’s rise to power and McCarthyism, where the public’s hatred gave birth to tragedies and persecutions. However, this phenomenon is escalating regarding its prevalence in the year 2018, where democracy is paving the way for populist governments. Populism focuses on manipulating the hatred (irrationality) of the mass to an identified “enemy of the state” in a demagogic and persecuting manner.
What is the reason why the ideal championed by the Gwanju students of 1980 and men and women of the Tiananmen Square sacrificed degenerated into such a corrupted form of a government? Perhaps more importantly, how can the world save democracy?
The remedy to the rise of populist exploitations of the irrational feelings in democratic societies is through more active participation by the moderate and rational members of the society. By way of illustration, in the controversial 2016 United States Presidential Election, only 58.1% of the eligible voting population participated. This political apathy and indifference are widespread throughout the world, especially among the youth. The problem can be attributed to the educational system.
Democracy had been depending on education to cultivate and nurture future generations of politically active and rational individuals throughout history. However, the current education system neglects to instill the seed of political responsibility in the students. Unlike the students of Gwangju who fought for their beliefs, today’s Korean student busy themselves with the rote memorizations of SAT vocabulary words and complex mathematical formulas, without engaging in active social and political debates within classrooms. Many students in South Korea do not even understand the notion of “left” and “right.” This apathetic and ignorant stance towards politics constrains the individual to lead a politically indifferent life, or even worse, a politically irrational life due to ignorance.
Still, democracy is worth saving. Despite its flaws, there is a reason why the students of Gwangju and protestors of Tiananmen Square rose up against the efficient yet inclement authoritarian states.
Democracy has protected our dignity and essence as humankind; now it is our turn to defend its honor.
