In this essay I will argue that democracy in no way equals freedom. Although our original Founding Fathers developed the Constitution of the United States that created the federal government as we know it, they also wisely used the Constitution itself to limit the powers bestowed on their own government. They did this for very specific reasons, most of which were centered around the people of the time who had little trust in governmental officials with political power. Not so surprising, actually, as these people had come to America to find the freedom that was missing in other countries. These simple people realized that democracy had, in some instances, been a threat to true freedom, therefore demanded that the governing powers be limited in their scope.
As we know democracy today, while it can be a protection for liberty, many countries call themselves a democratic nation, and in fact have elections, however consistently and systematically oppress their own people. Although Australia is ostensibly a democratic country, most citizens would tell you that is nothing more than a farce.
The government is structured and run by a very few, and those few take great pains to ensure that a government that is truly for the people never comes into power. While the people are certainly allowed to vote, they are very limited in their choices, and often it comes down to the lesser of two evils rather than an elected official with the people’s best interests at heart.
Even President Ronald Reagan knew that men are not truly free unless they exist under a limited government. He also knew that as our population base continues to grow, the individual freedoms will grow lesser and lesser. When we as citizens of the United States show apathy and a refusal to change the things we complain about, we make the very system we are complaining about that much stronger, and our own personal freedoms that much weaker.
Although we often use the words “democracy” and “freedom” interchangeably, much of that is a result of the propaganda we are fed on a daily basis. Words are just that—words, yet we empower them with tremendous influence over our lives. Words are often used by immoral people in a dishonest way, yet even though we are not a stupid nation, and are certainly aware on some level of the deception involved, we choose often to turn an apathetic demeanor, assuming that one person cannot make a difference. This is where we are wrong, however; history shows unequivocally that one person can absolutely make a difference if they feel passionately about their beliefs. The media, entertainment industry and political area spoon-feed us what they want us to know, what they want us to believe. This in turn determines how we behave.
While our Founding Fathers believed it was morally reprehensible for our governmental officials to use “stealth” to determine how we are governed, the fact is that this kind of governing is an everyday occurrence. To truly have a free and peaceful world we would be required to create societies in which the inalienable rights of the individual are respected and the powers of the government are limited. This would mean, among other things, that our government would have to end the confiscation of property without trial, secret arrests, imprisonment without conviction and torture of prisoners. We would have to abolish sovereign-immunity laws which make government agents exempt from legal responsibility when they kidnap, steal, torture or murder. So you believe none of these things could possibly go on in America? Open your eyes—they go on daily in our great country.
These are the reasons the amendment process was added to our Constitution, and while it affords some protection, it surely does not protect us from our own government’s dishonesty. Absolute individual freedom would not be a great thing either, as the bestowment of absolute individual freedom would certainly infringe on the freedoms of others. Individual freedom only works if all those involved have an absolute respect for the individual freedoms of others; in other words you are free to do absolutely anything you desire so long as it does not hurt another human being, or infringe upon his rights to freedom. That is a difficult, and likely impossible balance to reach.
Unfortunately, our current system of democracy comes down to the “haves” versus the have-nots—a system that grows more beastly every day. While on the surface we are all created equal, the reality is that those who have the money are certainly head and shoulders above the rest of us and have a power that the poor in no way have.
I believe I have the right to not be spied upon by the Federal Government, and I believe that this practice will continue until the people of the United States remember that we are afforded this freedom, stand up en masse and say, “no more.” The tyranny of the rich ruling class will continue until we stop it, and if we choose not to stop it we are victims of our own apathy.
Democracy does not equal freedom, and freedom is hardly the same thing as democracy. Let’s bring them closer together!
