Modern Democracy

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In 1947, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Winston Churchill, articulated a scathing opinion of the global political spectrum in the post-war era after witnessing the fall of European fascism in Germany and Italy as well as the impending rise of communism. He remarked, “It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.” This essay agrees vehemently with Churchill’s assertion that democracy – for all of its faults – was, and still is, the world’s preeminent form of government when compared with all other alternatives, notably fascism and communism. By analyzing modern democracy in theory and in practice, this paper elucidates how democracy is at an intrinsic advantage in protecting individual rights and freedoms, securing a safe and fair nation, as well as facilitating economic and personal growth when compared to other systems. In order to demonstrate this advantage, it is necessary that an argument be made for the inherent benefits of modern democracy’s fundamental tenet. Individual freedom is not only objectively good; it is necessary for a government to work effectively. Democracy provides a protection and safety that the totalitarian states of communism and fascism do not. Safety and confidence in the system preclude political participation on an individual level, which leads to a more fair and representative government overall.

In his lecture The Liberty of the Ancients Compared with that of the Moderns, Benjamin Constant enumerates some of the reasons democracy has emerged as the world’s preeminent form of government. Whereas in antiquity, “the condition of the human race… made it impossible then for [representative government] to be introduced or es...

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...has been shown that, although democracy deals with its own engrained challenges, it is by far the most benevolent form of government on a fundamental level compared to all other viable alternatives. It aims for transparency, equality, and fairness in practice, and is theoretically the closest that we have come to a perfect system. History has shown fascism and communism to be fundamentally flawed, and susceptible to corruption, tyranny, and violent oppression. They are not capable of competing with democracy in protecting the rights of its citizenry or producing the most diverse population. Winston Churchill’s remarks can be misconstrued as a criticism of the failures of democracy, but it has been proven that, in light of the historical context of his statement, he is in fact championing democracy as the greatest political and philosophical achievement in history.

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