Perspectives of Democracy

Plato:

•       Plato’s theory for democracy is that there must be different categories of humans. A society functions, and people are actually happier if they ‘know their place’ and stay in it according to Plato. The ruling elite make the decisions which the middle classes will make happen and will inform the lower orders about what is to be done.
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•        Art (or entertainment)  is a useful distraction for the lower classes from reality and what was actually happening and how they are being exploited by those in power.

John Stuart Mills 'Utilitarian Liberty':

• John Stuart Mill opposes the ideas put forward by Plato who suggests that people should be ruled, kept in place and distracted from any questioning of the system.
• The idea of ‘utilitarian liberty’, as put forward by Mill, is that society should function by providing the highest possible amount of freedom for citizens. This again allows the citizens to determine their own actions up to the point where their actions can be seen to hurt or harm others. 
• This therefore, can be seen as citizens self-fulfilling for as long as they focus on their own freedoms and ideas, adhering to the ‘’self-regarding principle’’ as suggested by Mill.
• However, it is hard to tell when these actions start becoming other-regarding, rather than self-regarding. 

Tony Benn:

Ask the 'Powerful Five' questions:

What Power have you got?
Where did you get it from?
In whose interests do you exercise it?
To whom are you accountable?
How can we get rid of you?

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