The Odyssey of Democracy
Every vote that we cast, every email that we send to a legislator, and organized protest that we assemble in this country, represents a person's or a group of people’s engagement in our American society that is critical in developing a thriving and fulfilling democracy. While democracy exists as a social idea, it sits at the core of our American civic society, without it, the structure of our freedoms and rights in this country are unfounded and insubstantial. Which is why we must all, as citizens of the United States of America, create space for it, and its effects on our community.
Democracy or “demokratia”, textually, emanates from the Greek language, combining the words “demos”, referring to a populace or group of people in a society, and “kratos” meaning power or rule. Ultimately, the general definition of this word, created by Athenian community leader Cleisthenes, means that the people rule their own governing systems. One of the earliest forms of democracy, dating back to 508 B.C. in Athens Greece consisted of three different houses, similar to those that currently exist within our three branch system. While this form of democracy only lived for two centuries, the remnants of this framework would live to permeate through the governing bodies of many countries still to this day.
While democracy, like many political philosophies, provided a philosophical jumpstart for many civilizations, its essence has gone under the question by many notable philosophers and ancient thought leaders. Plato famously opposed and criticized democracy, as it was a system that likely chose their leaders on irrelevant characteristics not connected with one’s ability to lead with their expertise. From a more modern perspective Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a skeptical appreciator of democracy, criticized popular interpretations of this philosophy by asserting that it is dissonant with the “natural order” for the many to be governed by the few. Such skepticisms however, point to the arguably biggest hole in democracy in that it is not a law or rule, it's a set of beliefs.
Because democracy is an idea lacking factual evidence for its existence, it’s biggest and most catastrophic weakness is that it only exists so long as a unified society agrees on its principles and values, moreover, its existence. In this country, we have varying perspectives, but we must be under the conscious understanding that we elect our leaders, and that we must hold them accountable for all activity.
Regardless of our allegiances, we must stand firm in our adherence to democratic values from our elected leaders, and both, responsibly and aggressively repudiate behaviors that are misaligned with our idea of what democracy represents. Nonetheless, democracy provides a voice for those who lack one; democracy allows for the diversification of beliefs in our communities; democracy opens the door for equity, and it’s our responsibility, as we cross the threshold of equity, to protect its fundaments and preserve one of its essences, accountability.
The thoughts outlined in this text are the expressed thoughts of solely Troy Crittendon, and do not represent the stances of any organization or entity. Any duplication of this text without the appropriate writing credit or the expressed consent thereof is considered unlawful.