Democracy cannot succeed unless people are educated and vote wisely

The People’s capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but the people’s inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary says Reinhold Niebuhr an  American Reformed theologian, ethicist, commentator on politics and public affairs, and professor at Union Theological Seminary for more than 30 years. The legendary United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt has said democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education. Perhaps the best known definition came from the famous US President  Abraham Lincoln who gave leadership in the civil war from 1861 to 1865. It was a war to liberate the coloured American people from their slavery to white racist extremist and we saw a revival of populist extremism when the business tycoon Donald Trump was the US President from January 2016 to January 2020. Mr.Trump’s policies were completely contrary to President Lincoln’s vision of democracy which he described as a Government of the people, for the people and by the people. 

In Sri Lanka today civic rights activists and Opposition party leaders say they fear there is a trend towards a dictatorship and military rule. These concerns have surfaced especially after the 20th Amendment virtually gave unlimited powers to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who is appointing former military commanders to top positions while the Rajapaksa family has obtained if not bought over a two-thirds majority in Parliament. 

It is in such a dangerous situation that the United Nations on September 15 marks the International Day of Democracy. In a statement the UN says the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis has resulted in major social, political and legal challenges globally. As states around the world adopt emergency measures to address the crisis, it is critical that they continue to uphold the rule of law, protect and respect international standards and basic principles of legality, and the right to access justice, remedies
and due process.

UN Secretary General António Guterres has urged governments to be transparent, responsive and accountable in their COVID-19 response and ensure that any emergency measures are legal, proportionate, necessary and non-discriminatory. “The best response is one that responds proportionately to immediate threats while protecting human rights and the rule of law,” he says.

The Secretary-General’s policy brief says states must respect and protect, among other rights, freedom of expression and of the media, freedom of information, freedom of association and of assembly. Concerns in many countries in the context of COVID-19 include:  Measures to control the flow of information and crackdown on freedom of expression and media freedom against an existing background of shrinking civic space; arrest, detention, prosecution or persecution of political opponents, journalists, doctors and healthcare workers, activists and others for allegedly spreading fake news; aggressive cyber-policing and increased online surveillance and.postponement of elections is raising serious constitutional issues in some cases and may lead to rising tensions.

According to the UN the crisis raises the question how best to counter harmful speech while protecting freedom of expression. Sweeping efforts to eliminate misinformation or disinformation can result in purposeful or unintentional censorship, which undermines trust. The most effective response is accurate, clear and evidence-based information from sources people trust. 

The International Day of Democracy provides an opportunity to review the state of democracy in the world. Democracy is as much a process as a goal, and only with the full participation of and support by the international community, national governing bodies, civil society and individuals, can the ideal of democracy be made into a reality to be enjoyed by everyone, everywhere, the UN says.

The values of freedom, respect for human rights and the principle of holding periodic and genuine elections by universal suffrage are essential elements of democracy.  In turn, democracy provides the natural environment for the protection and effective realization of human rights. These values are embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and further developed in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which enshrines a host of political rights and civil liberties underpinning meaningful democracies.

As we join the UN in marking the international Day of Democracy Sri Lanka leaders need to remember democracy is built on four pillars—the Executive, legislature, the free judiciary and the free media. If one or two of these pillars collapse millions of people and generations to come will face the consequences as we see now in Afghanistan and even the once democratic countries such Brazil and Nicaragua.