Liberty and Democracy

(This essay features in B.Ed. 1st Year’s General English book, Tribhuvan University)

Gist of the Essay

The essayist argues for liberal democracy. A liberal democracy has two characteristics: (i) a government based upon the fair election of its leaders (democracy), and (ii) a political system that ensures basic liberties of speech, assembly, religion and property (liberty). Democracy alone cannot make people happy because if elected leaders promote only their self-interests, then corruption will flourish and people will only suffer more. But if an authoritarian ruler rules with the concern of the good of the people, then such rule is more likely to lead to peace. So, democracy and liberty should go together to ensure the true rule, happiness and peace of the people. Hence, a political scientist Fareed Zakaria states that “the democratic peace is actually the liberal peace,” which means the peace that democracy provides is nothing more than the peace that comes with the feeling of liberty.