Refining Democracy: The Need

September 9, 2008
REFINING DEMOCRACY;The Need
By T.S. Khanna.

The concepts of life, its purpose, government, natural rights, and societal obligations are the product of (a) religious knowledge, (b) scientific knowledge, and, (c) experiential knowledge of human behavior under varying conditions.

Religions provide intuitive, imaginative, or conceptual knowledge explained by inductive (Plato) logic, not testable but justifiable only by feelings. In the process, they generate dogmas, doctrines, and theology. This knowledge varies with religions.

On the other hand, knowledge gained through science or study of human behavior is definite, explained by deductive logic (Aristotle), testable and verifiable; yet, not easily adoptable.

In every society, human values, at any point in time, vary between the original religious values and adoption of new values based on new knowledge. The values and the progressive changes have reciprocal effect on each other---constructive or destructive.

There seem to be several reasons for the society’s inability to update its values for progress; (a) sanctity attached to religious values, (b) no means, in place, to identify and evaluate digressive or progressive values in light of the new knowledge, (c) no mechanism, in place, to adopt or discard the identified values, (d) vested interests resist change, and, (e) slow acceptance of change, in human mind.

Progressive societies need to make a sustained effort to adopt or discard certain values in light of the new knowledge. The gain in human knowledge is like travelling through haze. As we focus on certain objective or ideal, at first, only a focal point is discernible without marked boundaries and obstacles. As we travel along, both the positive and negative aspects become more clearly visible.

In 1776, the US Constitution was adopted on certain assumptions of democratic human behavior while declaring independence from non-democratic conditions. Since then, there has been considerable gain in new (definite) knowledge of human behavior in democracy that challenges the assumptions and the ideals of the democracy established under the constitution.

Yet, there is no mechanism, in place, to adopt or discard the values that promote or defy the assumptions or ideals of democracy. Over a period, vested interests get well established to effectively haze the public interest to serve their own, in the name of public interest.

In light of the new knowledge gained and in progress, I would suggest that the USA (and all other democratic nations) may consider constitutionally establishing a mechanism to
1. Continuously evaluate the positive and negative values, and,
2. Make recommendations to amend the constitution and governmental operations adopting or discarding certain values.

Ignoring the need of the time can reverse democracy into much harder alternatives.