Democracy Matters
In modern democratic societies, such as Australia and New Zealand, there is a concerning trend where an increasing number of people are adopting the ill-informed, frankly dangerous view that democracy is not important or one of the best forms of governance, or worse still that it’s bad. This trend can be observed in all English speaking Western nations.
What is the definition of democracy? According to the Oxford Dictionary, democracy is rule of the people by the people. The word derives from demos, Greek for ‘the people’. There are various forms of democracy, and one of the earliest arose in ancient Greece, which we’ll have a look at later on.
Now it’s acknowledged, democracy is not perfect, it needs improvements as does every human innovation; however despite its flaws it remains light-years ahead of autocratic and communist alternatives.
How though has this erosion of belief in the importance of democracy occurred? And where has it come from? Fact is, loss of confidence and belief in democracy has been a long time in the making. One of the main sources of anti-democracy sentiment is the modern education system. Over the last 30 years, and more, Western curriculums at all levels of education have become anti-democracy, and subtly to overtly preaching against it as an ideal form of governance. (From school to university young ‘white’ people are taught to hate their country, colour, and culture, which is abhorrent, racist, and divisive).
Virtually every Western education institution has been infiltrated and subverted by neo-Marxist ideology, the religion of the far-Left, and it is furiously attacking the foundations of Judeo-Christian societies. It hates that democracy was spread around the world, and mostly through colonisation, so it preaches its dogma that colonisation was bad, the colonisers were bad, and their institutions were bad. Consequently, as people’s perceptions have been ‘transformed by education’, so the legacy of colonisation has increasingly been viewed as tainted, or even worse as out-dated and in need of elimination. All the crucial institutions of society are under relentless attack.
Furthermore, the far-Left hate that the people have financial freedom, another feature of democracy where financial self-determination is enabled by a free and open market. Such free flow of capital, as directed by market forces, is where the term ‘capitalism’ arises from, although now a much misused term. An open market allows people to trade freely, move money, own property, acquire and expand personal wealth, and use it as they see fit.
The hard-Left hate all this, they long for the ‘old days’ where a feudal lord controlled his serfs. So they promote socialism (government intervention into, and handouts for everything) because it recreates peoples dependence on an ‘authority’. The socialists have been very successful in preaching their anti-capitalist anti-free-market message. They operate from within a range of front organisations in democracies globally, and expound hatred of democracy and capitalism, among their other many hatreds. (Think Antifa, ALF, Communist Leagues, GetUp, Extinction Rebellion, Young Socialists, etc).
Unfortunately because of the rampant greed that exists in many capitalist markets, this gives self-righteous activist opponents of capitalism a lot of ammunition to attack it with.
However to deny the many benefits of capitalism, which have made modern (Western) society a prosperous and liveable place, and to only see the negatives and not the many benefits of democracy, is a parochial and ignorant stance. It focuses on human failings and greed, (which sadly do corrupt good things) instead of appreciating the rich heritage we’ve gained from the development of democratic systems of governance.
https://libertyherald.medium.com
Except for China, the top 10 most successful prosperous economies of the world are all democracies.
Far-Left activist groups spew negativity about democracy and free markets with religious fervour, and they are vocal in condemning colonialism and democracy (which in their ignorance they think created democracy!). They ‘cancel’ any aspect of it they decide contravenes their creed of political correctness. However it is blatantly ignorant and downright arrogant to judge events of the past, based upon the so called values of today. Yet these inquisitors who practice ‘cancellation of Western culture’ are devout in their purges and refuse to see the hypocrisy of their bigotry.
Many eras have seen various things deemed either acceptable or unacceptable. For example in Victorian Britain it was acceptable to send small children up a chimney, often whilst a fire was still burning, to clear soot / a blockage. Today this is banned. (Although some parents reading this may wish it wasn’t, what a punishment for backchat!) In America in the 1910’s it was unacceptable for two men to live together in a homosexual relationship, today it is not only acceptable but encouraged. In India in the 19th century the horrendous practice of Suttee was acceptable, yet today it’s prohibited.
There are immoral practices that are acceptable in society today that previous generations would be horrified by, and could rightly cancel us for! And this is the problem with people determining right and wrong based on the mores and beliefs of contemporary society, rather than on an authoritative source, such as Gods blueprint for healthy society as recorded in the Bible.
Although Christianity did not invent democracy its beliefs most certainly helped it to flourish, and upon Christian principles liberty in the West was built. Post reformation Europe threw off the shackles of autocratic rule by monarchy and instead embraced the rights of the people to determine their governance It was from Biblical teachings the philosophy of the innate freedoms of man as given by his Creator arose, and from that modern democratic systems of governance developed.
Earlier we saw how the word democracy derives from Greek, and it was the Greeks who developed what was possibly the earliest form of democratic rule. Themistocles believed in the people determining their governance, he introduced the vote, a direct vote on everything to happen in Athens. He believed in freedom of movement and trade, and developed the Piraeus, which not only was pivotal in the critical battle of Salamis, but became one of the greatest trading harbours of the era.
Building on that legacy a “Golden Age” came about under the leadership of Pericles, another Athenian General, who believed in the people’s freedom and right to be governed in the manner of their choosing. Around the same time Socrates was defending the right to freedom of speech. Socrates also described the rights and responsibilities that came of a citizen residing within a State, but saw it was a two way street, the State then had a responsibility to treat its people with dignity and protect them.
However as always liberty, democracy and its freedoms were soon under attack, as democracy has an inherent weakness, and so rule of the people by the people was trashed, as along came the Tyrants who sought and seized control. They overthrew the fledgling democratic system, and imposed their despotic rule, until they themselves were deposed.
What is this weakness inherent in democracy? It is that, by extending freedom to people and trusting them to do right by that freedom, means it is open to abuse, as there are always corrupt people who use their freedom for evil, or to fulfil their lust for power and control. On one hand, if people cannot be trusted democracy fails, and on the other tyrants always seek to enslave free men. Consequently democracy is always at risk; its preservation requires vigilance, and determined defence.
Perhaps Voltaire (no saint himself!) was thinking of this and Greek the experience when he said, “So long as the people do not care to exercise their freedom, those who wish to tyrannize will do so; for tyrants are active and ardent, and will devote themselves in the name of any number of gods, religious and otherwise, to put shackles upon sleeping men”.
Consequently, because of the many people who don’t value democracy, who are not vigilant in its maintenance or defence, democracy is easily lost. Then those who do cherish it have it thrust upon them to fight for its restoration.
One wonders why if democracy is so terrible, why so many people all around the world desire it, and are willing to fight and even die to have it? Why? Because it is the system of governance that works best for the good of the people, and provides for freer more prosperous societies. Don’t be misled about what democracy is, democracy isn’t the American style, it isn’t even the Australian style. Democracy is what the people make it. Around the world there are many different types of democracy, such as Scotland, France, England, America, India, Canada, Japan or Brazil, all differ in form and style, some for example are republics, others are monarchies, but all are democracies!
Therefore people who think democracy isn’t the best form of governance, really need to ask themselves, why do millions of people want it? Why are they fleeing dictatorships, despotism, and failed states to come to nations such as Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, etc? Why are hundreds of thousands more lined up ready to come? Why are none seeking asylum in Saudi Arabia, China, Yemen or Angola? Why are they seeking the ‘West’? Why? To enjoy democratic systems of governance, and the liberty and prosperity it provides — liberties too long taken for granted.
Why though are so many millions desperate for freedom? Because resident deep in the heart of man is knowledge that not only is he made in the image of his Creator, and thus life is sacrosanct, but that in that image man is born free. Enslavement is what some people do to other people, it is not the default setting of man. The American writers of the Unanimous Declaration of 1776 expressed it well when they said; “all men are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, among them being Life, Liberty, and pursuit of Happiness”.
A lesson Australians, ignorant of their own Constitution, can learn from America is this, they must apply theirs. The biggest lie Americans have been told, and most swallowed whole, is that their Constitution is dead. This is an egregious lie, as there is latent power in the American Constitution, as it is built upon the immutable principles of Gods word. Both people and State must be subservient to Gods order. If the bulk of Americans were to rediscover the power of their Constitution, and participate in restoring its core principles, America could become great to the blessing of itself and many nations.
Liberty Bell Philadelphia is one of those stirring reminders of the struggle for democratic freedom, it’s a mesmerizing object, and exactly why is difficult to put in words, maybe its history, its giant crack, or its inscription in the quaint English of the KJV; “Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof”. Lev XXV, X
Constitution makes government, not the other way around. Learn your Constitution, insist on its rights.
True democracy allows for a full suite of freedoms including; free speech, a free market and press, freedom of religion, movement, and assembly, voting, education, healthcare, and human rights. All enable peaceful and prosperous society.
Furthermore belief in the essentiality of personal liberty, of being ‘born free’, led to slavery being abolished in majority Christian nations in the 19th century, whereas in many majority Muslim nations slavery continues to this day. If not for democracy and principles of liberty, the right of the person to be free, many people reading this would be slaves today!
There are people who say human rights aren’t important, yet they happily live in a democracy that gives them rights, and we don’t hear them complaining about that! Basic human rights include; not to be arbitrarily arrested, unjustly imprisoned, tortured, or enslaved, and the right to fair trial by a jury of ones peers. These rights we enjoy in democracies, are ancient rights, encoded in the seminal documents such as Magna Carta, flowing strongly through the ages to us today.
Earlier we mentioned autocratic forms of governance, and they’re worth examining. These include but aren’t limited to; absolute monarchies, (such as in Saudi Arabia) Communist dictatorships, (such as China, North Korea, etc) military controlled regimes, (such as Burma) rule by a dictator or ‘strong-man’, (such as Russia, and many countries in Africa and Middle East etc) Religious dictatorships, Islamic autocracies, (such as Iran, Syria, Afghanistan and others). In much of these, oppression, enslavement, false imprisonment, and persecution of religious minorities especially Christians, exists.
Communism alone has been responsible for more human suffering, misery, torture, and death, death on massive scale, than World War I and II combined. There are many thousands of documents and books all detailing first hand the brutal horrors of communist rule. Alexandr Solzenitsyn described Bolshevism as “the greatest human slaughter of all time”. Multitudes of people have fled communist controlled countries to come to the West. They are alarmed at seeing Australia and New Zealand becoming like the nations they fled.
Communism only survives through control and censorship, it does not trust (anyone) because it cannot, attributes such as truth, morality, philanthropy and altruism are absent from the pitiless ideology and practice of communism. This is why communist societies always descend into brutality, as it’s the only way communist authorities can control the people. Such is the canker at the heart of Marx’s manifesto, violence is the only way the masses can be made conform. The communist cruelties of; Mao’s China, USSR, GDR, and Roumania are ugly scars seared deep into the annals of human history. All failed dreadfully and catastrophically. Communism is the complete antithesis to Democracy.
People in their vast masses (millions) are fleeing nations governed in such ways, and where are they going? Where? To Iraq? No, to the ‘free’ democracies of the West. This seems very strange if we are to believe democracy is such a bad thing. Only it isn’t strange, millions of people around the world are longing for the peace, prosperity and freedoms a democracy can and does provide, and to participate in the advanced social systems Western civilisation developed.
Many civil wars have been fought (are still being fought) in parts of Africa, Europe, Middle East, Asia and South America to do what? To defeat communist, socialist and religious dictatorships, for one purpose and one purpose alone, so that people can usher in a version of democracy like those they see being enjoyed by the people in democratic nations.
This is why democracy matters, the fact that people are sinful, and that they use freedom to sin is not an argument against democracy or liberty. It is a clarion call to the Church, get back on message and declare the need for people to repent and find redemption. A wicked people cannot sustain liberty, freedom only succeeds where there is moral goodness.
It is thanks to democracy, built upon a foundation of Judeo-Christian principles that, despite two horrific world wars, people in Western nations have lived through one of the safest most prosperous epochs in history. Yet the very nations that benefitted from this foundation have, in their apostasy, jettisoned the Judeo-Christian principles that gave them freedom. It took hundreds of years of civil wars, revolutions, and protests for these democratic and republican ideals to be realised, yet now we live in an era of rapid decline as powerful forces strip freedom from an apathetic people.
The brutality and oppression with which people are treated in China, Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, Afghanistan, and North Korea today show precisely why we must valiantly stand and contend for the democracy and liberty we’re blessed to have. Even though what we have is far from perfect.
When liberty from oppression, enslavement, and invasion, and that the sacrifice of Christ brings liberty from bondage to sin, are topics resplendent throughout the Bible, and ancient peoples energetically grasped their great import, why is the modern Church, and why are most modern Christians, no longer at the forefront of truth, justice and liberty?
Mark
Liberty Herald “That Truth, Liberty, and Justice, shall prevail”
Read; The Battle for Truth to see how democracy in the West has been subverted
Watch; Is this really the future you want? (short video)
Read; What is Social Credit?
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