Democracy…don’t get it twisted!!

Discussions of ‘democracy’ in our times would lead to several understandings. One tendency (what I would call the evolutionary approach) would be to vilify the past and subconsciously historicise our understanding of democracy as though we have come to enjoy democracy with the passing of time, for as we become more civilized and more intelligent as a species we veer to be more democratically inclined in practice.

Another clearly misunderstood line of thought is to look at democracy as belonging to a certain group of people (the chosen approach) who only deserve it because of cultural practices or as some sort of divined gift. Or lastly the view of democracy as a set of rules where, if one society follows other benefits will likely flow into place, a sort of cause and effect panacea, thus, democracy becomes an end in itself (the cause and effect approach).

Well, I am here to destroy all these notions of democracy, while they are incontrovertibly important in the discourse it is important to focus on a different (less advertised) system of thought, one that examines democracy more as a struggle within any society and views it not in itself as an end but as a means towards a certain structure where struggles for change never cease, and where one success will easily lead to the fight for another (what I dub, the continual democratic struggle). It is imperative to keep in mind that these various struggles may and often have manifested themselves in countless ways depending on the case at hand.

So ultimately, the challenge I pose to you the reader is simple. Re-deliberate on your understanding of Democracy. Don’t for a second think that you have reached your peak and always keep in mind that a Democracy is continual not an end but rather a means towards it.So as you examine your current “Struggle for Democracy” ask yourself, What are my interests?How can I relay this interest to the general populace?Do I have a coalition?Are my interests Universal?

If you are poor, your democratic struggle is being able to feed yourself and your family and sustaining a good salary, so obviously you have not reached your peak. If you are wealthy, your interest is to acquire more and in this sense you democratic interests would be securing a political environment that tolerates your interest.

As I hope I have demonstrated, our democratic struggles are solely based on our needs and our desires. Don’t let anybody convince you otherwise.Democracy is not solely the ability or the freedom to perform freely in the political sphere, but also the ability and the freedom as individuals with varying levels of need to assert our values or communicate our stance in society and see change.If a poor person dies poor, he or she has not lived in a democracy for somehow someway someone did not listen to his or her need. Realize your constant struggle and vote accordingly!