Democracy is the basis of the political systems of the modern civilized world. Democratic countries, with rare exceptions, are by far the most economically developed, and citizens’ standard of living is the highest in them. Whether freedom is a necessary and sufficient condition for well-being has been debatable for hundreds of years. The dispute between Plato and Socrates is the foundation of Western philosophy. Hence, it is essential to scrutinize whether the focus on freedom is deficient in influencing democracy.
Socrates defended democracy, while Plato criticized it; these oppositions gave birth to continuous disputes. Democracy was the system developed in Athens under Pericles.; the decision was made by voting of free adult male citizens. Women and enslaved people, in turn, did not have the right to vote (Cooper 1156). The system differs significantly from modern democracy in its voting structure. It is vital to note that not all people have the right to vote. Accordingly, the democracy of Athens was direct – that is, without the choice of representatives, in contrast to how it is generated nowadays. Athenians would probably call a modern democracy an oligarchy – the rule of the rich.
The basis of Plato’s criticism was the lack of competence of the people responsible for making decisions in a democracy. His famous quote compares democracy to allowing passengers to steer a ship in a storm (Cooper 1160). Plato insisted that the main danger of democracy is its transformation into an ochlocracy – that is, the power of the mob (Cooper 1160). Ordinary people can be easily fooled by beautiful slogans and generous promises, resulting in a tyrant coming to power.
This issue subjects many individuals to political vulnerability even nowadays. Through populism, unscrupulous politicians gain power. Many autocrats got their positions by manipulating public opinion and taking advantage of underdeveloped democratic institutions. According to the book, the wrong leader in the democratic city leads to overall decay (Cooper 1173). In critical situations, such as wars, democracies are much less agile and capable of making quick decisions. In many areas, the average citizen is not competent. Therefore, it becomes feasible to manipulate social consciousness using economic unawareness, which can cause inappropriate decision-making in power structures.
It is essential to clarify if freedom at the heart of democracy can worsen individuals’ lives. Plato’s main argument fails because he assumes by default that there are some objectively appropriate solutions to the problems the state faces. It is valid for specific cases, such as an economic crisis or a pandemic. However, in numerous politically strained situations making a single coherent choice can be struggling. Instead, there are many alternative options, each with benefits and drawbacks for different populations. Democracy is one of the few regimes considering the interests of different groups of the population. At the same time, alternative forms of government, such as totalitarianism or dictatorship, are more likely to support the interests of a single group.
Overall, it can be concluded that freedom is not a flaw of democracy. Democracy is a competitive environment where ideas have to fight for survival. Rational ideas can be displaced; indeed, it is not a severe issue of the given regime. Under other systems of government, rational ideas will become obsolete. Although the democratic regime is a field for competition, individuals who strive for prosperity tend to defeat it.
Work Cited
Cooper, John M. (ed). Plato: Complete Works. Indianapolis, Cambridge: Hackett Publ.Co., 1997.