Читать книгу THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY - Steve Zolno - Страница 12

Democracy is rooted in the struggle for human dignity. The above definition – “an organization or situation in which everyone is treated equally and has equal rights” – describes its essential nature. As our earliest societies expanded in size from small to larger groups we gave up egalitarian self-rule and lost our ability to make the major decisions that affect our lives. Democracy is an attempt to restore self-rule and the dignity that comes with it. But democracy rarely has lived up to its potential due to the ability of some members of a society to dominate others. Thus – for those who believe in democracy – it is our responsibility to discuss and monitor how to maintain it. This book is the story of the long struggle for human dignity – and its denial – over time, and how we can affect the outcome of that struggle.