Liberal Democracy (Liberalism)

Democracy is probably the most commonly associated word with the ideology of liberalism.

Democratic values like accountability, open government, a codified constitution and the separation of powers are all endorsed by liberals. Constitutional and legislative reform on the premise of greater democracy will always garner support amongst liberal pressure groups such as Unlock Democracy and Charter 88. Ultimately, this rests upon a deep commitment to people power and an optimistic view of human nature.

First and foremost, it is absolutely central to the liberal outlook that politicians who exercise power must be held accountable for their actions to the people and their elected representatives. Furthermore, the decision-making process should be as transparent and open as possible. Under New Labour (1997-2010), the government passed the Freedom of Information Act and the Human Rights Act. Both these reforms to the constitution were designed to strengthen the concept of accountability and open government.

Consistent with their overall world-view, liberals also believe in the need to protect and guarantee our civil liberties under a codified constitution. In the UK, the Liberal Democrats have long championed the need for the constitution to be written down in one document. They argue that codification is necessary to adequately protect the citizen against the abuse of power by the agents of the state. Alas, the UK’s uncodified constitution enables what Lord Hailsham dubbed the “elected dictatorship” to undermine the rights of outsiders. For instance, the Thatcher government targeted the rights of trade unions whereas New Labour implemented a series of authoritarian measures in their ‘war against terror.’ A written constitution would also bring Britain into line with the rest of the world. Finally, the Liberal Democrats favour codification in order to prevent those who hold power acting in an illiberal manner. Lord Acton’s (1956) view that “all power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” and that “great men are almost always bad men” encapsulate the liberal perspective.

It must be acknowledged that democracy is by no means accepted in an uncritical manner amongst liberals. Originally, liberals have viewed democracy as a form of mob rule that could threaten our liberty. This is referred to as the paradox of democracy in which the views of the majority are considered more important than the concerns of the minority. Naturally, this could result in a form of tyranny that undermines the rights of minority groups.

To counter the dangers of majoritarianism, liberals support a system of checks and balances. During the formation of the United States, liberal figures like James Madison argued in favour of a separation of powers in order to avoid the problems that had beset the ‘old’ world. The American system of governance is based upon a system of checks and balances and echoes the view expressed by Montesquieu that “power should be a check to power.” In contrast, the UK system is essentially a fusion of powers which awards an excessive level of power to the executive branch of government. Democracy may also enable the populism of the uneducated to override the more enlightened views of the educated elite. During the seventeenth century, John Locke argued that the right to vote should be limited to those with property so that they might defend themselves against a government acting on behalf of the masses. Locke’s argument was later incorporated into the slogan of the American War of Independence (“No taxation without representation.”). In later years, John Stuart Mill favoured a system of plural voting that would effectively disenfranchise the illiterate whilst providing more votes to the educated. Modern-day liberals also believe that the rights of minority groups must be protected via legislative measures and the constitution.

Having said this, supporters of liberal democracy claim that it holds significant benefits for humanity. Perhaps the most persuasive argument is that democracies tend not to fight each other as they are fearful of the electoral consequences. Whereas a dictatorial regime can largely ignore the wishes of their people; the ruling party in a democracy could face a potential electoral backlash. Furthermore, the spread of democracy enables the individual to play their full part in the political process. In addition, liberals such as John Stuart Mill argue that democratic participation promotes the development of the individual and is therefore the best system available for ensuring maximum happiness for the greatest number. Democracy could also be said to promote stability within society in that all groups have the opportunity to express their beliefs.