5 Principles of Democracy

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5 Principles of Democracy Free Enterprise

• Principles of Government
• Learning Unit
• Mrs. Deming

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5 Basic Principles of Democracy

• The American concept of democracy rests on these
  basic notions
• (1) A recognition of the fundamental worth and
  dignity of every person
• (2) A respect for the equality of all persons
• (3) A faith in majority rule and an insistence
  upon minority rights
• (4) An acceptance of the necessity of compromise
  
• (5) An insistence upon the widest possible degree
  of individual freedom.

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Worth of the Individual

• Each individual, no matter what his or her
  station in life, is a separate and distinct being
• Sometimes the interests of the many outnumber
  the individual
• Ex. Paying taxes, stopping at a stop sign
• Serves the interest of the many who, as
  individuals, together make up that society

4
Equality of all persons

• All men are created equalThomas Jefferson
• Not all are born equal thoughexamples?
• Democratic concept of equality insists that all
  are entitled to
• 1. equality of opportunity
• 2. equality before the law
• Race, color, gender, religion.are we there yet?

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Majority Rule, Minority Rights

• Democracy argues that a majority of the people
  will be right more often than they will be wrong
• Does not intend to have the right or best
  answersjust satisfactory solutions to public
  problems
• Must always be willing to listen to a minoritys
  argument, hear its objections, bear its criticism
  and to welcome suggestions

6
Necessity of Compromise

• Give and take among competing interests
• Many different opinions, groups, interests in a
  democracydestroy if you do not compromise
• Many sides to many issues
• Ex. Who should pay for the paving of a public
  street? Property owners? City? Share costs?
  Raise taxes? Only those who will use the street?
  Toll?

7
Individual Freedom

• Individuals must be as free to do as he or she
  pleases as far as the freedom of all will allow
• Absolute freedom can exist only in a state of
  anarchythe total absence of government
• Human beings desire both liberty and
  authoritymust strike a proper balance

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Democracy and Free Enterprise?

• Free enterprise systemthe American economic
  system
• Characterized by the private ownership of capital
  goods, investments made by private decisions,
  success or failure determined by competition in
  the marketplace
• Based on
• Private ownership
• Individual initiative
• Profit
• Competition

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Democracy and Free Enterprise System?

• AKA Capitalism, Private Enterprise System,
  Market-Based System
• Decisions are made by the marketLaw of Supply
  and Demand
• Ex. Iphone pricing

10
Connection?

• Democracy and the Free Enterprise System are NOT
  the same!!!
• One is a political system and one is an economic
  systemboth are firmly based on the concept of
  individual freedom
• The two systems reinforce one another