We
live in a time of populist revolts which, among other things, are the result
(or cause) of political instability. There have been ‘shock election results’ in
2015, the unexpected vote for BREXIT in Britain, the rise of Donald Trump in
the US and of right-wing parties in Europe.
It
is our conviction that the erosion of democracy in the western world is part of
the reason for these political shakings. In the previous article, we look at
the ingredients of a truly democratic society (which includes but goes much
further than elections). Again, they are
1.
Regular elections, free and fair;
2.
Rule of Law;
3.
Universally recognised human rights;
4.
Independent, constitutionally-based judiciary;
5.
Free and responsible press;
6.
Separation of powers;
7.
Balance of power;
8.
Separation yet equal respect of church and
state;
9.
Basic moral foundations.
Yet,
these important pillars are being attacked across the world. This is especially
true of ‘free speech,’ which is being assaulted by political correctness and
hate-speech laws. When free speech goes, democracy goes with it.
Here
are some examples of the erosion of democracy:
Remember
the Russian Revolution of February 1917? It was a genuine revolution with
democratic aspirations. However, the revolution was hijacked in October 1917 by
the Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin. He allowed a planned referendum to go
ahead a few days later. To his shock horror, the referendum result was exactly
the opposite of what he wanted. Lenin was not about to allow the Russian
electorate to subvert his plans for a communist paradise. So he cancelled the
results and thus began the Marxist totalitarian regime we came to know as the
Soviet Union.
Though
the European Union (EU) espouses democracy and makes it a requirement for
membership, remember that EU laws - which are binding on all member nations -
are not made by an elected parliament. They are crafted by the 28 member
unelected European Commission. The EU Parliament either amends, edits, or
rejects the laws. When EU member states have EU-related referendums which fail
- no worries - they get them to vote again or repackage the legislation to help
it pass. Combine this with heavy EU regulations and a vast bureaucracy, you
have the choking, not flourishing, of democracy.
Even
the birthplace of modern democracy, the United States, has been witnessing the
deterioration of democracy right under its nose. Modern presidents, probably
since the 1930s, have been using a procedure called ‘Executive Order,’ where
they ‘order’ a course of action without the approval of Congress. These orders
are not mandated or allowed in the US Constitution.
The
modern US Supreme Court has been notorious for going beyond its mandate to
interpret law in light of the American Constitution. Instead, progressivist
judges have become de facto legislators. They did it in 1973 with the Roe
versus Wade ruling, which made abortion legal in all 50 US states. While
pro-abortion (euphemistically called ‘pro-choice’) advocates say Roe versus
Wade gave women a ‘constitutional right’ to an abortion, how can this be when
nothing - absolutely nothing - in the US Constitution even hints at abortion
rights? America was trying to resolve the abortion issue, democratically, state-by-state.
Yet, the Supreme Court came and short-circuited the whole process. Thirty-one
states were immediately left without abortion laws. Far from resolving the
issue, Roe v. Wade became one of the great battle cries of the continuing ‘cultural
civil war’ and the most contentious social issue since the abolition of
slavery.
Again
in 2015, with Obergefell vs. Hodges, the US Supreme Court ruled that all 50
states must allow same-sex marriage. The American states were trying to work
out the issue democratically, and the court came in and overruled them. As US
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts said of this court decision, ‘The
Constitution had nothing to do with it.’ Democracy was overruled yet again.
Whenever
an issue is fundamental to society, the most democratic thing to do is have a
civil, informed debate and then let the electorate decide. That especially true
with the definition of marriage, a bedrock of society. In September 2016, the
Australian federal government proposed a marriage plebiscite for 2017 to let
the people decide on whether to marriage should be defined as an exclusive
union between a ‘man and woman,’ or between ‘two persons.’ The leftist
political parties are against it! To say that the Australian electorate is
incapable of making an intelligent and fair-minded decision on this vital is an
anti-democratic attitude. You may want to read Dennis Prager’s article Why
the Left Hates Referendums (http://townhall.com/columnists/dennisprager/2016/06/28/why-the-left-hates-referendums-n2184036?newsletterad=0
When
the press or courts or parliament or executive branch or the military or some
or all of the above go beyond their constitutional mandate, then democracy is
undermined. When that happens, political stability begins to suffer, too.
If
we can return to true democracy, Biblical morality, a commitment to absolute
truth, and a spiritual revival, stability is assured. After all, we will learn
what Jesus means when He says those who obey His word are wise people who build
their lives on the rock, not the sinking sand (Matthew 7:24-27).
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