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A form of government wheresupreme power is held completely
the people under a free electoralsystem
people refers to a community ofpersons working together for a
common purpose
taken from two Greek words demos (people); kratos rule or strength
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majority rules- characteristic feature
has its origin in Athens, Greece &
is considered as the last form ofgovernment
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Representative- officials are chosen thruelections
Direct- citizens participate in decisionmaking personally
Socialists- believe in a form ofparticipatory & workplacedemocracy
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Anarchistaccepts the direct democracy Eroquoisaccepts both participatory &
representative form of democracy Sortition- a.k.a.democracy without electionprocess of choosing decisionmakers via a random process,
e.g. jury selection
Consensusrequires only the consensusof the group rather than the great majority
Interactiveutilizes informationTechnology to involve voters in law making,provide a system for new laws & for prioritizingproposals
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man as an Autocentric being
the only animal who can choose between
courses of action he alone can say NO in the face of thegreatest temptation or adversity
enjoys Political Freedom
how can man be free when he is bound to obeymoral & positive laws?
human freedom is never absolute; liberty & dutyare governed by principle of justice; our freedom
stops when other freedom starts
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the basic tenets of democracy as goodgovernment:
Laws of the state arein consonance with naturallaw
Binding in conscience
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the right of the people to rule themselvesis exercised by the elected officials
in giving elected officials with authority
man do not surrender their right for self-government
Notion of Vicariousness
elected officials are rulers invested withreal authority or right to govern
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Notion of Vicariousness
how can people delegate authority& keep it at the same time?
applicable for material things
NOT applicable for IMMATERIALthings like MORAL RIGHTS,
AUTHORITY, TRUTH & LOVE
the more they are shared the PURER &more enduring it becomes
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Notion of Vicariousness
elected officials exercise withgenuine authority
authority can obliged people to obey them have right to be obeyed for the sake ofthe COMMON GOOD
laws enacted by duly elected officials arebinding in conscience
Authority solicits POWER
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MAN & STATE relation in aDEMOCRATIC FORM OF Government
over emphasis on state
importance, belittles individual &leads to fallacy ofcollectivism ortotalitarianism
over emphasis importance of
individual, belittles the state & leads toindividualistic anarchism
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Christian Democracy
characterized by the concept ofPERSONHOOD & COMMON GOOD
man is a person which transcendindividuality & finds fulfillment onlyin group life
man is a person with dignity asImago Dei
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Right to Revolt unjust laws are not binding conscience;are not according to reason & natural law
thus NOT to be obeyed resistance to unjust laws is justifiable defense
man possesses inalienable & inviolableright to defend his natural right
has moral obligation to defend his rightagainst unjust or aggressor rulers has the right to revolt against unjust rulers
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Right to Revolt conditions where revolution is justifiable;
government becomes substantially tyrannical( has lost sight of the common good) constitutional procedures of reforms &redress have failed reasonable probability that revolution will besuccessful great majority consider the government assubstantially tyrannical
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Capital Punishment
the state has the right to inflict capitalpunishment if the common good demands it
the State has NO right to take away lifeBUT there are instances whenOFFENDERS, because of their CRIMES ,have FORFEITED the exercise of their RIGHT
to life
justly condemned offenders because oftheir criminal acts has FORFEITED their rightto live
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Capital Punishment Death penalty is a necessary meansto deter men from atrocious crimes
the State has the right to inflict death topreserve its existence against the mostdangerous elements of the society
unabated commission of heinous crimescalls for its imposition