Democracy

The term is inadequate in more ways than one

Democracy has an elusive meaning.

Originally the word literally meant “people power.”

This was based on the Greeks’ mistaken belief that a government run by people randomly selected from the masses would enhance each person’s individual influence.

The fall of Athenian democracy -- and the later success of our representative republic -- has since debunked that mistaken belief.

Marx later revived the idea of democracy this time with an economic spin. 

For Marx only  “the people” -- which excludes the deserving rich, the destitute and homeless, and anyone who disagrees with Marx’s mandatory speech regime -- would be materially and spiritually restored by a communist civilization of total freedom. 

In this utopia the people would be unconstrained by the existential burden of work and hence free.

The fall of the USSR -- and the later success of our representative republic -- has since debunked the possibility of that utopian belief.

In modern times the idea of democracy has been re-invented to signify religious reverence for government.

Adherents of this ideology believe that in a godless age the directionless masses need a benevolent government to love and care for them in a way that a traditional deity would.  Otherwise the forever neglected many would never be free from the perpetual errors of their unthinking and loveless ways.

The real time economic failure of modern democrats’ religious, government worshiping regime has since confirmed the foolishness of this world view.

So what, then, does democracy mean? 

Nothing, but inadequacy.  For if the word democracy signified any successful regime then it’s meaning wouldn’t be so elusive.

Zigmund Reichenbach has an M.A. in Philosophy from West Chester University and works as an advocate for less government by day.  You can help him combat bad ideas in politics and philosophy by donating to his work at https://ko-fi.com/zigmundreichenbach .

Follow him on X at @zreichenbach1