Definition

Features

Principles

Proponents and highlights of their works

Advantages

Disadvantages

Applicability to the Philippines

Presentation:

 Democracy
 Ambiguity of definition
 Preferred democracy over any other forms (SWS)
o Aristotle
o Kant
o John jacque
o Heywood
o Lastest definition by Miranda.
 Studies presenting that Filipinos have low knowledge on democracy
 Commend sir for letting us know the different types of democracy adlib
 Liberal Democracy
LIBERAL DEMOCRACY:

Proponent and Highlight of their works:

 Philosopher John Locke

o Founder of Liberal Democracy or widely known as Liberalism
o Was known to lay the foundation of western contemporary liberal and
capitalist political order.
o Johanna Oksala (2013) of University of Helsinki:
“We live in a world fundamentally shaped by John Locke. When we argue
that all people should be treated equally or when we criticize authoritarian
governments for their human rights abuses, we appeal to Locke’s theory…”

- May pagka-religious si Locke so he upheld the Natural Laws given by

God
- He values individualism, or the individual rights of the people.
CONSENT: He believes the idea that only the legitimate basis of the
legitimate power is the consent of the people. Political power
nevertheless fundamentally belongs to the people, which means
that if the appointed rulers abuse their power, then the political
authority devolves back to people.
*Hindi siya naniniwala na ang tao ay isusurrender fully ang power
nila sa absolute sovereign.*
- He defends that people have certain natural and inalienable rights,
regardless of political or legal system people live in, such as right to
life and right to liberty. NATURAL OR INATE NA SA TAO!!!
- ALL MEN ARE FREE AND EQUAL
- This natural right of moral law, upholding that people have
individual rights, exists even when there are no policemen or judges
to enforce it.
- If pertaining sa establishment of institutionalized government, it
does not mean that people can’t rule and maintain theirselves, it
such that, dahil patuloy na lumalaki yung society. Nakikita lang nila
ito na effective to settle disputres and maintaining order. Transfer
some of their rights to the government in order to better ensure the
stable, comfortable enjoyment of their lives, liberty, and property.

 Two Treaties of Government:

- The First Treatise is a criticism of Robert Filmer’s Patriarcha, which
argues in support of the divine right of kings. According to Locke,
Filmer cannot be correct because his theory holds that every man is
born a slave to the natural born kings. Locke refuses to accept such
 a theory because of his belief in reason and in the ability of every
man to virtuously govern himself according to God’s law. The
Second Treatise is Locke’s proposed solution to the political
upheaval in England and in other modern countries. This text laid
the foundation for modern forms of democracy and for the
Constitution of the United States.

- The Second Treatise consists of a short preface and nineteen

chapters. In chapter i, Locke defines political power as the right to
make laws for the protection and regulation of property. In his
view, these laws only work because the people accept them and
because they are for the public good. In chapter ii, Locke claims that
all men are originally in a state of nature. A man in this original state
is bound by the laws of nature, but he is otherwise able to live, act,
and dispose of his possessions as he sees fit. More important,
human beings, free from the arbitrary laws of other men, have an
obligation to protect the interests of each other, since they are all
equally children of God. They also have an obligation to punish
those who go against God’s will and attempt to harm another by
compromising his life, liberty, or possessions.

Definition:

Liberalism seeks to evolve such rule and procedure that would secure liberty of individual
while democracy implies the formation of government with the consent of ordinary people.
Accordingly, liberal democracy is largely identified by the following characteristics;

A—Representative government based on majority rule with due recognition on minority

rights.

B— More then one political parties freely competing for political power.

C—periodic election based on universal adult franchise.

D— Political offices not confined to any privileged class

E— Accountability of government to the electorate

F—protection of civil liberties of citizens (such as freedom of thought and expression,

movements, association and assembly etc . Including freedom to criticise government).

G—Independence of judiciary from executive and legislative control.

FEATURES:

This reflects the fact that there is broad, even worldwide, accept ance of a particular model of
democracy, generally termed liberal democracy. Despite the existence of competing tendencies within
this broad category, certain central features are clear:

 Liberal democracy is an indirect and representative form of democracy, in that political office is
gained through success in regular elections that are conducted on the basis of formal political
equality.
 It is based on competition and electoral choice. These are achieved through political pluralism,
tolerance of a wide range of contending beliefs, and the existence of conflicting social
philosophies and rival political movements and parties.
 It is characterized by a clear distinction between the state and civil society. This is maintained
through the existence of autonomous groups and interests, and the market or capitalist
organization of economic life.
 It provides protection for minorites and individuals, particularly through the allocation of basic
rights that safeguard them from the will of the majority.

Nevertheless, there is a considerable amount of disagreement about the meaning and significance of
liberal democracy. Does it, for instance, ensure a genuine and healthy dispersal of political power? Do
democratic processes genuinely promote long-term benefits, or are they self-defeating? Can political
equality coexist with economic inequality? In short, this form of democracy is interpreted in different
ways by different theorists. The most important of these interpretations are advanced by:

pluralism

elitism

corporatism

the New Right

Marxism.