In a democracy, can the minority ever truly be free?

Question

I know some of you will respond, "in a totalitarianism..."--well, I'm not interested in comparing to less free systems. Rather, I'd compare it to more free ones.

Keep in mind, there is no single division of majority and minority. A majority in a couple issues can be a minority in a plethora of others.

'Majority rules' will always trump someone's freedoms.

Answer 1

First off, there are no real democracies in the world.

Take the US. If it was truly a majority rules type of democracy, we would not be fighting in Iraq, since the majority is quite thoroughly over that nonsense.

If the majority ruled, you would have had Al Gore for President.

In these sorts of nations, which are actually Republics, the decisions are made by representatives of the people, but those decisions are based on expediency rather than the tallying of sentiments.

So as far as I can see, in contrast to your question, we are already in a situation where, to paraphrase you: Minority rules always trump the majority's freedoms.

Answer 2

You don't say what country you are referring to.  Majority rules only in a pure democracy, which we do not have in the US.

One major complaint of the majority of people in the US is that minorities get special treatment.  We are supposed to have equal rights.

Answer 3

The only freedoms we have are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  There are freedoms gauranteed in the Bill of Rights too.  To answer your question, a democracy allows us freedom regardless of who we are, majority or minority.  But some of us have to sacrifice our desires for the greater good.  It's not about losing our freedoms, it's about ensuring that democracy continues.  If you look at it in the way you stated it, we are all minorities in some ways and no one is free and no one ever will be.

Answer 4

Minorities are larger in numbers than the majority in the U.S.

So... why call them minorities?

And nobody is truly free... nobody.

Answer 5

Yes, if you follow the rules.

Our Constitution doesn't allow for the minority to have less freedom than the majority.  The minority get to vote, are not institutionally discriminated against, etc.

Losing out in a fair vote is not a loss of freedom, it's an exercise of freedom.

Even in a democratic society, you will have times when the minority is oppressed (sometimes even the majority).  That is not the doing of the democracy, but of the people that don't uphold the ideals.

Answer 6

No one is ever truly free.

Answer 7

There are many cases where Minority have spoken and it become law,,, perfect example is religion at schools.

Now your looking for freedom,, in society, complete freedom doesn't exist and that's the sacrifice we make to live amongst many people. Which has it's positives; safety, friends, technical comforts, convenience, food, education, on and on...

I totally agree that majority it not always right, in most cases majority is completely screwed up. Look at the welfare system,, sounds good in theory, help the poor but, what does it truly do,, it's a crutch for the poor or the unwilling to work. We give people money to do nothing, how crazy is that. I can understand the mentally incapable but, the able. Why should they do anything, big daddy tax payer will pay their way. I know some of us hit rock bottom but, money should be earned and not given. Instead offer paid training, work seeking assistance, labor work cleaning parks and other public areas, the list of things to do can go on and on.

Answer 8

Part of the problem is that the word democracy is actually very vague. If we are looking at the US then we should consider the belief behind it, which basically is (or has been for much of our history) that everyone man (what that means has changed too) should be allowed to succeed or fail on their own, as they are all presented with the same opportunities. The reason why this fails so often is that everyone is not presented with the same opportunities, they are presented with a bunch of pre-conceived notions about their place put upon them by society, they are presented with all the failures (or successes) of their family history.



It also isn't majority rules. If you look at those in power, those with money, those with influence etc. you'll see that it is a very small minority that actually rules.

I'm going to disagree with liberal48 - even though I realize it isn't going to be a popular opinion. I do not believe that our constitution has any use in todays world. It is outdated. Other modern countries have thrown out old ideas and moved forward- we once took the basis of our constitution from their ideologists- which many of them adapted too, and have since then changed or thrown out and moved on. There are too many issues that face our society today that are just well beyond the grasp of the constitution and as long as we cling to it (simply out of tradition and fear of the unknown) then we will continue to struggle.

Answer 9

In a true democracy, the rule of the majority always takes precedence over the minority.  But that rule should not violate the rights of the minority.  There is a simple saying that I learned in school, 'Majority rules, minority rights'.  So to answer your question, yes, the minority can be free, if by free you mean not having their rights violated by majority rule.

Answer 10

The whole structure of the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, is a very good attempt to provide for basic majority rule, while protecting minority rights. It works pretty well if you ask me. Not perfect, but way ahead of whatever is in second place.

Reading list:

"The Federalist Papers" by Madison, Jay, and  Hamilton

"The Anti-Federalist Papers" by Patrick Henry and others

"Democracy in America"  by Alexis de Tocqueville

Answer 11

no. never. no one will ever "truly be free".

Answer 12

No, but the bill of rights, especialy the first and fourth ammendments are a pretty good attempt to protect minorities from a mob mentality taking over the majority.

Answer 13

Of course the minority can be free in a democracy. And yes, majority rule will indeed always trump someone's freedom, but it won't always be a "minority."

Of course, I lot depends on what you mean by "free," because not all people define "free" the same way. Everybody has got a little bit of Libertarianism in them, but not everybody values free enterprise, just like not everybody values free love.

I was and I still am absolutely astonished that the U.S. Supreme Court actually underwent a phase of sorts in which it was a bit preoccupied with striking down laws which were discriminatory against illegitimate children. There is a body of case law on the topic. That began in 1968 and continued through the 1970s. Some of it is downright amusing to read. Equal rights for illegitimate children, as if illegitimate children are an unpopular minority. Who would've thunk?

Answer 14

Yes, as soon as we grow up and distance ourselves from the fading generations fears and economic ways.