Real Democracy

For John, BLUF:  This would be good for George.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

---

Law Professor Ann Althouse gives us something from G.K. Chesterton's Tremendous Trifles.

It cannot be too often repeated that all real democracy is an attempt (like that of a jolly hostess) to bring the shy people out.  For every practical purpose of a political state, for every practical purpose of a tea-party, he that abaseth himself must be exalted.  At a tea-party it is equally obvious that he that exalteth himself must be abased, if possible without bodily violence.  Now people talk of democracy as being coarse and turbulent:  it is a self-evident error in mere history.  Aristocracy is the thing that is always coarse and turbulent:  for it means appealing to the self-confident people.  Democracy means appealing to the different people. Democracy means getting those people to vote who would never have the cheek to govern: and (according to Christian ethics) the precise people who ought to govern are the people who have not the cheek to do it.

When Mr Chesterton says "aristocracy" I think his meaning is not just Lords and Ladies, but also other forms of hierarchy. I like it.

Hat tip to the Althouse blog.

Regards  —  Cliff