What is democracy? What Does Democratic Democracy Mean?

Civilization Beginning with the Sumerians:

You've seen the title. Can democracy be democratic?

There has not been a democratic democracy since Tektaş[1] (2020) "The First Civilization First State First Social Society: Sumerians".

Aktan (2006)[2] “Democracy has always been the ideal of humanity for centuries, but it has not gone beyond being a “fantasy[3]” in real life until today.” says.

However, non-democratic democracy turns into a great threat.

But if democracy is not democratic, what makes it important?

Before Sumer After Sumer:

If I could, I would start the era with the Sumerian state and civilization.

Even if he was a prophet, I would not take a person's birthday as Milat[4], that is, the birthday of history. Because the important thing is the birth of the state, isn't it?

In fact, it would be much more objective to consider the invention of writing by the Sumerians as a milestone.

However, the hegemonic point of view does not want to see the Indian, Egyptian, Chinese, Persian, Islamic and Turkish Civilizations, as it does not see Sumer.

It tends to start everything from ancient Greece - as a political choice, knowing that it does not fit the historical facts.

For this reason, in the literature on the state and the form of government, there are more views based on Ancient Greece.

It has become popular culture.

Monarchy, Aristocracy and Democracy:

Although Plato separated the rule of the rich (Oligarchy) and the rule of the glory-goers (Timarchy) in order to glorify the Aristocracy, he actually pioneered the explanation of the rule by philosophers such as Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu and Rousseau:

Monarchy based on personal sovereignty,
Aristocratic rule based on a certain estate/class domination,
Democracy based on popular sovereignty.

Starting with Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Xenophon and Spartans accept Aristocracy, which is the ideal form of government of the few, as essentially better than Democracy, which is the ideal form of government of the majority.

However, they also see the Oligarchy, which they call the corrupt form of the Aristocracy, as worse than the lynch mob rule,[5] the corrupt form of Democracy (Mob Rule).[6]

Philosopher King:

Somewhere in Plato's Politeia, Socrates says: “Unless the philosophers are kings in our state, or until those whom we now call kings or rulers do not truly and fully devote themselves to philosophy, until political power and philosophy are united in the same direction, the bad situation in the state cannot be avoided.”[7] ]

In fact, the center of the problem is the existence or absence of a constitutionally just government rather than which form of government.

“Neither philosophers became kings nor kings philosophers …”

Direct Democracy:

Undoubtedly, a people/nation that has not been completely annulled will not agree on evil. For this reason, direct democracy is the most ideal government to prevent evil.

However, J.J. By saying that “true democracy is only an ideal,” Rousseau points out that this is a utopia.

Maybe three hundred years ago it was difficult for everyone to give their rating.

But today, it is possible to implement direct democracy in every subject from the internet with an ID number, if desired.

However, corruption can still occur in the electronic environment.

Why Would There Be Worse Governance If Democracy Deteriorated?

If the monarchy based on personal sovereignty is broken, the burden of a person and his family falls on the nation.
If the rule of aristocracy based on a certain group/class domination is broken, this time the burden of the privileged class is on the shoulders of the people.
If the democratic administration based on the sovereignty of the people is corrupted, it falls to the citizens to bear the burden of their own bourgeois aristocracy formed by each government, as well as the burden of each incoming president and his family.

In addition, just as bad money drives out good money, politics is financed from easy money. This stands as an insurmountable obstacle for honest people to take responsibility.

Finally, when primary elections and narrow district systems, which are the two most effective instruments that increase the quality of representative democracy, are not implemented, democracy turns into monarchical democracy or oligarchic democracy.

Elections, on the other hand, turn into a very expensive means of legitimation that enables monarchical and oligarchic administration to be perceived as democracy.

While the Germans, who are among the rubble of Berlin, are eating the dead horse meat on the ground, he starts to think about establishing a new system with humiliation.

Conrad Adenauer said in an interview: "Even if Jesus (from heaven) came again, we would not be so stupid as to give all authority to one person and his companions". He can't help himself.

How to Build Democratic Democracy?

Democratization of democracy is with justice.

For this, constitutional democracy is an important step.

The rule of law is essential.

But the real separation of powers and the balance/brake system prevent justice from being politicized and instrumentalized as a mechanism of oppression.

Legislative, executive and judicial systems should be separate from each other.

It is very important for the media to take their place in this separation of powers.

Transparency and accountability thrive in this environment.

Monarchic and oligarchic democracies cannot find their place here.

Representative democracy also approaches direct democracy with primary and narrow regional electoral systems.

If the financing of politics becomes transparent,

Democracy becomes democratized.

REFERENCES:

[1] Tektaş, T. (2020). “First Civilization, First State, First Social Society: Sumerians” Istanbul: Parola publications.

[2] Aktan, Can C. (2016). “The Search for an Ideal Political Administration and Constitutional Democracy”. Journal of Law and Economics Studies Volume 8, Issue 2, 2016, ISSN: 1309-8020 (Online)

[3] Dream, fantasy, dream.

[4] Hurriyet (2021). https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/egitim/milat-nedir-milat-ne-ile-baslar-milattan-once-ve-milattan-sonra-ne-anlama-gelir-41819789 (27 May 2021) (Access : 11.04.2021)

[5] The act of terror by the mob.

[6] https://elawtalk.com/types-of-aristocracy/

[7] Cevik, Cengiz C. (2018). A few Roman quotes about the idea that “the philosopher should be king or the king should be a philosopher” https://jimithekewl.com/2018/11/21/filozof-kral-ya-da-kral-filozof-olmali-thought-related-birkac-romali -quote/  (Access: 11.04.2021)