A Revision of Democracy

Democracy literally means the rule by the people. The rule by the people is synonymous with majority rule. It is probably better to restrict the word democracy narrowly to majority rule, and treat liberty, equality, justice and common good as the fundamental values inherent in the successful practice of democracy. This being so, a democracy shrinks when my inalienable rights are recklessly infringed upon by the leaders. A democracy diminishes when there is not the equality before the law for all. A democracy fades away when I lose my lawsuits due to inarticulateness and judicial partiality. A democracy ceases to exist when the leaders fail to promote the common good on a largest possible scale. And it follows that the essence of democracy is the promotion of common good on a largest possible scale for the greater number of people in a particular State.