THE MORAL CONTENT OF DEMOCRACY Morality is defined as the quality of being in accord with standards of right or good conduct. To put succinctly, it is virtuous conduct. Democracy on the other hand is government of the unified majority. Strictly speaking, democracy is steered by the aspirations of the vast majority. Which is to say, whatever the vast majority agree upon as binding on all will be binding on all. This is the reason, there is a documented aggregation of binding laws to regulate a democratic government. That document whether or not written in a single piece or spread about in pieces of legislation is called a Constitution. The Constitution is the basis upon which all that is democratic in society finds its legality, authority and binding force. The Constitution stipulates the rules of engagement for citizens, and for instance, spells out the eligibility criteria for running for public office, which become binding law once accepted and documented. So, does it mean that democracy is constitutionality? Well, that is now the bone of contention. If we are to accept democracy as strictly constitutionality, i.e restricted to the provisions of the Constitution, then there would be no basis for querying any action taken on the basis of constitutional provisions. In that case, an unreasonable man, empowered by the Constitution and privileged office can appoint his wife into a position within his office simply because she is qualified based on the provisions of the Constitution. It also means he can populate his office with his kith and kin as long as such is not prohibited by the Constitution, whether or not it is morally unright. The burden of democracy will therefore be constitutionality except we acknowledge the moral content in it. In doing so, we would then further acknowledge that irrespective of constitutional provisions on rules and legality, the import of morality cannot be wished away if society is to extract its prime benefits from democracy. In that case, democracy cannot be applied sensu stricto in terms of constitutionality but also on the basis of morality. This very idea is what presents democracy as much more than a procedural concept but also deliberative and moderated by reciprocity. This is the reason the idea of zoning public offices as enshrined in some Party Constitutions (like that of the PDP) in order to amplify and highlight the moral content of democracy is justified and a brave move; and as such the framers of such constitutions must be commended for their courage and foresight. Otherwise, the simple majority, in the strict sense, will dominate and undermine the compound majority, in the loosed sense, on the basis of geopolitical and ethnocentric affinity as against that of the unified and central affinity. To lose the moral content of politics, democracy and human character is to descend beyond morality itself, and at such pedestal footing, values lose their sacredness and worth. To the minds that fire the ideas of legality devoid of morality, profanity is the norm and theres no limit to how far they would apply their democratic liberties. Democracy has a moral content and it protects the vulnerable in society. We, therefore, must not practice democracy on the basis of constitutionality but also on the basis of morality. It is more honourable and a virtuous conduct.
Posted on: Wed, 23 Apr 2014 18:53:47 +0000
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