what is democracy?

what is democracy?
is this question so obvious or is the word just an empty denotation that is defined subjectively? I am afraid that the latter is more probable. the powerful need institutions like state, law, corporations-basically anything that can make people believe that they are secure. democracy is one of the strongest words the power that be can use. these institutions make people believe them. the word democracy is enough for many people to believe that certain state is a good place to live in, but in fact it is not a reality for many ‘democratic’ countries. on one hand, we should also be conscious about connotations it carries and not see democracy as some absolute unchangeable concept that guarantees security and welfare. not at all. as any liberal thinker would say, we need to uphold democracy. let us first define what it is. democracy in my view is political/not economical establishment or form of certain group-usually state. this regime should guarantee anyone inalienable rights which correspond with human rights. democracy means that anyone can contribute to the government of the group. to do this, we need to be equal and thus what one is allowed cannot be the other denied. now back to the democracy. if we accept that democracy and rights are two invaluable and intertwined concepts indispensable for a peaceful society, let us dig deeper to why the powerful need to maintain it and at the same time to undermine it. the powerful need to create a semblance of functionality and safety in order to make people believe that they need the powerful to protect them but in fact the powerful only follow their aims. we see it with current candidate for prime minister in czech republic Andrej Babis. he says and maybe even believes that the state can be run as a company. this is of course ludicruous because these are two opposite concepts-liberty vs totality. in democratic state, everyone has an equal say to anything. in a company-the chef can do anything and all the other must listen. this is exactly what is going to happen with the state if we stop questioning the democratic establishment in our country. and what is even more important, we should admit that democracy is not something that we achieve and have. not at all. it is terribly important to learn that democracy, similarly as truth is not something we have or achieve at some point of time in the future. it is something that virtually does not exist, shall not exist and yet all our existence is bound to be looking for it, paradoxically. if one thinks that one has the truth, as Babis thinks, then we see how extreme view may emerge and how difficult situations may arise. we opperate with the word, use it but in fact it is impossible to define it and yet indispensable for any discourse and dialogue that we want to uphold. this is what monarchs do not understand and Babis also not. totalitarian regimes think they know thetruth but are unfortunately much further from it that those who know that they do not know it, accept it and yet look for it the trouble notwithstanding. Jesus in the gospel says that if you think you see, then you are blind, if you say you do not have a sin, then you sin. it is indispensable for the future of mankind to accept that we sin, we do mistakes, we do not have the truth, democracy and virtues or perfections. but if we do not lose the will to seek it, then there is nothing more meaningful to do than looking for something that cannot be found-only with truth is such ‘irrational’ and for all other things irrelevant conduct meaningful.

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Používam Rychlý zápisník

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