A rchive Date
[ 03-07-2000 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ Canada ]
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[The paradox of democracy
By MARIANNE MEED WARD
Toronto Sun
June 7, 1999
That naughty Svend (you know, the dashing NDP MP) is up to his usual tricks, courting media publicity as vigorously as one expects he courted his same-sex spouse.
This time, he's pioneering the rights of atheists who feel offended by the references to God in the preamble of Canada's Charter, and in the national anthem. Evidently, they trample on the rights of people who hold no religious affiliation.
Tomorrow Robinson and company will protest on Parliament Hill and present a petition to the House of Commons asking for the God they don't believe in to be removed from the documents.
My response is, "Frankly, my dear, I don't ... " Well, you know the rest. Fine. Take out the references. They have symbolic and historical value, to be sure, but they neither detract from, nor add to, my rights and freedoms to practise my faith.
The quest however, raises one of the tensions of democracy, namely that of minority rights in a democracy. The issue raises its head during elections, such as in Ontario and South Africa last week, and also during civil conflicts like, say, Kosovo and Kashmir. What do we do about minority atheists in Canada, whites in South Africa, Kosovars in Serb-dominated Yugoslavia and Kashmiri Muslims in Hindu-dominated India? The philosophical term "paradox of democracy" applies when political representatives vote with the majority against their own minority opinion.
But the term could also apply more broadly to minority vs. majority rights. The paradox of democracy occurs, states the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, when the general will of society, as expressed by a majority vote of political representatives, conflicts with the will of all, meaning that not all people agree with the decision.
The distinction between "general will" and "will of all" arises "when a constitution to which all have contracted enacts legislation to which not all consent. The citizen is 'forced to be free' by being constrained to follow the general will." Such is the forced freedom that perhaps Liberal and New Democrat voters and politicians are feeling after the Progressive Conservative win in the Ontario election.
Though the defeated politicians paid respectful homage to the "will of the people," they also pointed out that the popular vote went against Mike Harris' Tories: 45% of Ontario voted for Mike but 55% of Ontario voted for "not Mike" - namely for a non-PC candidate. The message: even though you won a majority government, respect the views of minorities.
Meanwhile, in South African elections last week, the African National Congress won a two-thirds majority, which allows the party to change parts of the constitution unilaterally. That raised fears about minority rights.
In his victory speech, president-designate Thabo Mbeki pledged to defend "the democratic system and human rights." Translation: we'll protect minorities. Such reassurances would probably help to reduce conflict in Kosovo and Kashmir.
Kashmir, a predominantly Muslim state, is partitioned between Pakistan (predominantly Muslim) and India (predominantly Hindu). The two countries are fighting over absolute control. A plebiscite was promised back in 1947, but India won't comply. Presumably, India fears the vote will favour Pakistani rule, or independence, and Indians don't want to be "forced to be free" to follow the general will.
Meanwhile, in the Yugoslavian province of Kosovo, Albanians feel like the minority in a Serbian country, while Serbs feel like a minority within the predominantly Albanian province. Neither group wants to cede power over Kosovo because they feel they'll lose rights.
The morality of a country is best judged by how it treats its minorities. In a democracy, size makes right, which is perhaps the best system mere humans can create. But we need safeguards, here and abroad, for those shut out of power simply by virtue of the fact their numbers are few.
That doesn't mean surrendering decision-making power to minorities, but it does mean extending them freedom to live as equal participants in society, in accordance with their beliefs.
Marianne Meed Ward, a freelance writer with an interest in social and ethical issues, appears Mondays. Her e-mail is:pward@interlog.com
 World Fact Book (CIA)]]
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