Democracy Requires Discipline to Succeed
Story★★★★There is a common belief among us that the democratic form of government is necessarily the best form, but if that claim is submitted without qualification it is a fallacy. Democracy can only justify itself if it is a disciplined democracy. Thomas Carlyle was right when he said that “the best form of government was any form of government by the best men.”
A dictatorship need not necessarily be condemned if the dictator is animated by high ideals. Cromwell was a dictator, and England has received a rich heritage because of his period of government. The final argument in favor of democracy is that it is a safer form of government than a dictatorship; but this presumes willing discipline on the part of its individual citizens, and it is our problem to ask ourselves to what extent we can claim at the present time to be a disciplined people.
The point
Democracy only justifies itself when disciplined by its citizens. Good government requires both the best people and willing civic discipline.