Populism, Pluralism, and Liberal Democracy

Essay: Populism, Pluralism, and Liberal Democracy

Liberal democracy is defined as “political system built a belief in representative and limited government, regular and competitive elections, rule of law, multiple channels for political participation, limited state control over the economy, and the protection of civil rights and liberties.” (McCormick, 2009;596)

Introduction

Plattner’s article explores the reasoning behind the explanation of why some liberal democracies survive and prosper. His thinking is that there is no room for pluralism and populism without one being dissatisfied. I believe we must research deeper than that. There are other factors that allow them to thrive and prosper together. I will focus on three topics. These topics are the political system, social change, and economics.

Political System

In any liberal democracy, the people believe that equality of opportunity and social change will exist in their economic and political system as a fundamental, and permanent component. Lack of these components would cause members of the country fearful that one group will turn on another to dominate politically and economically, and elections will become power-plays between contending groups instead of processes where citizens make choices based on leadership and policies in the best interests of the entire nation. It is a problem of all societies, and it is a problem that can be addressed in societies trying to move from totalitarianism to democracy and freedom. The citizens of the country must develop a confidence that their society is fair and all individuals are considered equal under the law.

In the United States, the Constitution “was the first document of its kind in the world and has been the model for most of the constitutions that have since been developed by other countries. It is the centerpiece of the American political system, the blueprint by which the Unites States is governed.” (McCormick, 2009;64) The United...