Democracy means that every single citizen can participate in politics. This means voting, running for office, serving in office, contributing and shaping the political discourse, and educating each other about the needs of our various communities, stakeholders, interest groups, and about the world around us. This is a collaborative enterprise, it needs all of us, no exceptions. Democracy is not the democracy of a few, but of all those who – as citizens – constitute the sovereign of the country as it moves throughout time.
If all voices matter, this means that all voices should be considered in decision-making. This is the principle of every single democratic nation on the planet. The exact mechanism about how to go about that may differ from country to country, but the principle is still the same. As human beings are not perfect, we need rules and regulations that help us negotiate between our different and divergent interests.
People’s interests diverge because people’s lives are not the same. We are all different, thank heavens – and our diversity is a strength. This pertains not just to diversity of different socially constructed groups, but especially to a diversity of opinion. Depending on where we live, what our histories are, how and where we grew up, whether we have children or not, what kind of work we do, what our communities are, etc., we all have different perspectives, interests and needs that are legitimate from our own perspectives. We all want to be recognized for that, and for our individual perspectives to count and to matter in society at large.
That does not mean that all our wills be done, or even should be done. This is not how it works. Democracy means constant compromise, constant negotiation, constant attention to everybody’s needs. For that to happen, we need to respect each other’s interests, each other’s perspectives and interests. If we lose that respect, if we keep fostering division, if we respect and heed only the special interests of a select few, we all will lose, no matter how legitimate those interests may seem to some.
The Romans knew how to conquer an enemy: “divide et impera” – divide and conquer. Only united will we keep our democracy.
Erratic Attempts 