Damaged Democracy
TimeWatch Editorial
November 07, 2016
Emily Wilson is an assistant professor of classical studies and author of The Death of Socrates. According to her biography in the Free Encyclopedia, she is a graduate of Balliol College, Oxford in 1992 with a BA in Literae Humaniores, Classical Literature and Philosophy. She undertook her MPhil, an advanced postgraduate research degree. The prerequisites required for a Master of Philosophy degree make it the most advanced research degree before the Doctor of Philosophy. Her Master of Philosophy is in English Renaissance Literature, which she completed in 1994 at Corpus Christi College, Oxford and her Doctorate in the year 2001, in Classical and Comparative Literature at Yale University. In 2006, she was named a Fellow of the American Academy in Rome in Renaissance & Early Modern scholarship.
Dr. Wilson wrote an article entitled “Democracy and the Athenian Lesson.” Her essay is based on an article that first appeared in the March 16, 2008, Philadelphia Inquirer. She opens the essay with an intriguing question.
“What is democracy? Citizens of the United States tend to associate it with freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, freedom of religion. We assume that democratic societies are better than tyrannies, theocracies or militia states. We may assume too that democracy includes “checks and balances” that make elected officials less liable to make bad decisions than leaders in other forms of government.”Dr. Emily Wilson, “Democracy and the Athenian Lesson”
After answering the question asked bed upon the American interpretation and implementation of the word, the then proceeds to define the true meaning and function of the term from an Athenian point of view.
“Modern democracy is largely inspired by one of the earliest democratic societies: ancient Athens. It is from the Athenians that we get the word democracy, from the ancient Greek demokratia, “rule by the people.” But our assumptions about democracy would not have been shared by many in classical Greece. By the standards of Athens, whose electorate had a direct vote on big decisions, the U.S. is not really a democracy at all but an oligarchy of elected representatives.” Dr. Emily Wilson, “Democracy and the Athenian Lesson”
Her assessment of the situation is rather compelling, since in the past, there was somewhat of a pretense at representation by the Senate and the Congress, while they pursued their private agendas covertly. Recently however, there has been an abandonment of any covert delusion and direct and open pursuits of personal fraternal agendas have taken complete control. Dr. Wilson’s description of the situation continues with the idea that perhaps Athens might just be an important lesson that we might absorb.
“Athens offers some corrective lessons for anyone who idealizes democracy. For one thing, the Athenian democracy destroyed itself through democratic means: by voting again and again for disastrous wars. To Athenians in the later years of the 5th century B.C.E., as the Peloponnesian War dragged on and on, it was clear that voters could be swayed to favor the best speaker or the most charismatic personality in a political debate – even though that person might not have made the best argument.” Dr. Emily Wilson, “Democracy and the Athenian Lesson”
How often and in how many other places has a similar point been made! The idea that the most charismatic or articulate is always the most qualified has been proven not to be true many times before, yet the people have always responded positively, even when it was obvious that the person or persons had not demonstrated their ability to accomplish what they promised to do. But Dr. Wilson pursues another element of education that can be derived from the Athenian experience; the injection of the religious into the Democratic fabric.
“After almost 30 years of fighting, Athens lost the war. A military junta seized power, but democratic government was eventually restored. One of the first actions of the new democracy was to put on trial its most notorious citizen: the outspoken gadfly Socrates. The charges against him were primarily religious. He was accused of not worshiping the gods of the city and corrupting the young. Socrates was condemned to death by hemlock in 399 B.C.E.” Dr. Emily Wilson, “Democracy and the Athenian Lesson”
The early years of the United States have been blessed by an understanding of the separation of Church and State. But subtle agendas have for decades pursued the idea of the establishment of a Theocracy. Time and time again, organizations have rested their hopes upon a coming day when this land will be “rescued” from the freedoms that allow the conscience to determine conviction and activity. But the lesson of Athens stands as a warning of the resulting catastrophy.
“A look back to Athens seems essential at a time when we idealize our own version of democracy – and try to impose it on the world. Democracy does not, in itself, ensure that human rights will be protected. Restrictions on intellectual and religious freedom, along with torture, unfair trials, and unequal access to education, work, money and political power are features of democratic societies, ancient and modern. If Socrates left any lasting legacy, it ought to be a reminder to ask questions, even about our most cherished beliefs.” Dr. Emily Wilson, “Democracy and the Athenian Lesson”
If, as has been promised, the wall that presently separates Church and State as outlined in the First Amendment to the Constitution is removed, then the oligarchy of elected representatives, will determine which gods of the city we must worship. The pretense of course will be that we will be worshiping the God of Heaven and Earth. But God never forces man to worship Him, neither has he given authority to any man to coerce another to worship Him. Coercion is of the Devil the father of lies, and those who serve him, will ultimately engage in his inquisitorial violence. Those who seek the removal of the wall of separation between Church and State have already revealed their lack of moral fortitude. Their blasphemous pretense is exposed by their association with an ungodly lifestyle. Their father smiles as they lead others astray.
Cameron A. Bowen
