Guest Editorial on Imperfect Democracy v Autocracy

The democratic republic we call the United States was a dramatic break from the past. In 1776, kings had absolute authority and controlled through autocratic governments. The upstart American colonists introduced a concept nonexistent in the Western world at the time: people could govern themselves through elected representatives.

The idea that people could govern themselves rests on the conviction that everyday people can be trusted to make decisions and to act in the interests of the common good. Democracy is grounded in people believing in each other, recognizing that we are all in this together and do better by working together toward a common goal. We don’t always agree, but we strive to settle our differences by understanding each other’s concerns and looking for a mutual path forward.

The French traveler Alexis de Tocqueville toured the United States in 1831, and was amazed at the initiative of everyday citizens to come together and create cooperative groups to meet the needs of their communities. In countries with kings, solutions had to come from the top down, as those in control would see local initiatives as a challenge to their authority. Those U.S. citizens de Tocqueville observed had no qualms about working together for the common good and demonstrated great ability in solving their own problems and bettering their lives.

Of course, not all people can be trusted to act on behalf of the common good. The founders of our democratic republic included a judicial system to safeguard our democracy, designed to operate as a co-equal third branch of government independent of the political system, to enforce the rule of law and not the preferences of those in power.

Contrast our democratic republic with a society that assumes people cannot be trusted, that every person is only out for themselves, and expects people to take advantage of every opportunity for personal gain. The only way to get ahead is to align with those in power. Corruption is not only expected, it is the payoff for being loyal. There is no rule of law, only the rule of those in power. Fall into disfavor, and your fortunes will be forfeit.

One need only look at Russia under Vladimir Putin to find an example of such a society. The Missoula League of Women Voters recently met with three exiled journalists from Russia to discuss Montana’s local government review process. The journalists could not grasp the idea that citizens have the right to decide to change their form of local government and to implement that change without the permission of current local officials. They assumed the current officials would use bribery or coercion to disrupt and control the process. The idea that local officials would assist the process to go forward unfettered is unimaginable in Russia.

Our democratic republic is not perfect. We strive to learn from our mistakes to create a more perfect union. It comes down to this: would you rather live in an imperfect democratic society grounded on belief in people and the common good, or in an autocratic society grounded on self-interest and corruption?

A parable circulating on the Internet for our time: A grandfather is talking with his grandson. The grandfather says, “In life, there are two wolves inside of us which are always at battle. One is a good wolf which represents things like kindness, bravery, and love. The other is a bad wolf which represents things like greed, hatred, and fear.” The grandson thinks about it for a second then looks up at his grandfather and says, “Grandfather, which one wins?” The grandfather replies, “The one you feed.”

Nancy Leifer, President, League of Women Voters of Montana