by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI
“Democracy is fundamentally a ‘system’ and as such is a means and not an end. Its ‘moral’ value is not automatic, but depends on conformity to the moral law to which it, like every other form of human behaviour, must be subject: in other words, its morality depends on the morality of the ends which it pursues and of the means which it employs.”(Compendium on the Social Doctrine of the Church, No. 407)
Tomorrow, Monday September 15, the world will observe the UN International Day of Democracy (IDD). The theme this year is Engaging Young People on Democracy. Too often we adults underestimate and stifle the contribution that our young people can/wish to make to strengthen our democracies.
The UN website promoting IDD states: “Democracy is a universal value based on the freely expressed will of people to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural systems and their full participation in all aspects of their lives. While democracies share common features, there is no single model of democracy.”
This year’s theme “highlights the challenges and opportunities of young people engaging in democratic processes. People between the ages of 15 and 25 constitute a fifth of the world’s population. In many developing countries, the proportion is even higher – with the majority of young people today living in low – and middle-income countries.
“Yet study after study shows declining faith among young people in politics as we know it, with decreasing levels of participation in elections, political parties and traditional social organisations across the world. This applies to both established and emerging democracies.
“At the same time, informal, youth-led movements for democratic change are on the rise in a number of countries – including in fragile states. Using new communication channels in social networks, young people are making their mark on democracy-building in untraditional ways.” (www.un.org/en/events/democracyday).
I recall the historic words of then Pope John Paul II at the end of his visit to the USA (Oct 8,1995). His words of wisdom should be embraced by all who strive to build stronger democracies. Inter alia, he called upon America to remain true to its ideals of democracy as set forth in its founding documents – the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
He said: “At the centre of the moral vision of your founding documents is the recognition of the rights of the human person, and especially respect for the dignity and sanctity of human life in all conditions and at all stages of development… in the light of your own tradition: love life, cherish life, defend life, from conception to natural death.”
Democracy, he said, “needs wisdom. Democracy needs virtue, if it is not to turn against everything that it is meant to defend and encourage. Democracy stands or falls with the truths and values which it embodies and promotes.
“Democracy serves what is true and right when it safeguards the dignity of every human person, when it respects inviolable and inalienable human rights, when it makes the common good the end and criterion regulating all public and social life. But these values themselves must have an objective content. Otherwise they correspond only to the power of the majority, or the wishes of the most vocal.” When “the fundamental principles of the moral law” are called into doubt, “the democratic system itself” is “shaken in its foundations (cf. Evangelium Vitae, 70).”
Our Christian vision of ‘Democracy’ is grounded in sacred scripture, tradition, and in the documents of the Magisterium – including the social teachings of our Church. If we are to prepare young people to play their part in strengthening our democracy, then we must first teach them what the Lord expects of them; we must instill in them morals and values that will enable them to withstand the gales of moral relativism, individualism, and selfishness which threaten to overwhelm us all.
There are many ways in which we can strengthen the voices of young people to participate in building a healthy democracy. One way is to work to promote social inclusion. The words of Gandhi are apt: “To a hungry man, a piece of bread is the face of God.” Is our democracy good for the poor; for those who are marginalised; for those who eke out a living on the fringes of society? We talk about ‘participatory democracy’, but in our ‘throwaway society’, there are many who have no opportunity to participate in any meaningful way.
Is our democracy – and its institutions – in TT truly inclusive? As Catholics, we have a duty to share our expectations of what we expect from our Democracy e.g. social stability, economic development, basic amenities/infrastructure, health care, schools, and jobs. We must also seek ways to improve democratic governance.
