Democratie

Volgens sommigen is de parlementaire democratie geen eindstation, het is een fase op weg naar ware democratie. Opmerkelijk genoeg is historisch gesproken de democratie niet zozeer door democraten in het leven geroepen, maar door elites die de democratie als goedkoopste methode zagen om hun privileges te handhaven. De eminente Britse classicus Sir Ronald Syme schreef in 'The Roman Revolution': 'When the patricians expelled the kings from Rome, they were careful to retain the kingly power, vested in a pair of annual magistrates; and though compelled in time to admit the plebeians to political equality, certain of the great patrician houses, Valerii, Fabii and Cornelii, none the less held in turn a dynastic and almost regal position. The Senate again, being a permanent body, arrogated to itself power, and after conceding sovranty to the assembly of the People was able to frustrate its exercise.' Op zijn beurt schreef de befaamde Amerikaanse historicus Charles A. Beard in 'The Supreme Court and the Constitution' over vrees van de rijke elite die de Amerikaanse Grondwet schreef: 'The unequal distribution of wealth inevitably led to a clash of interests in which the majority was liable to carry out its policies at the expense of the minority; hence, he (de latere president Madison svh) added, in concluding this splendid piece of logic, "the majority, having such coexistent passion or interest, must be rendered by their number and local situation unable to concert and carry into effect schemes of oppression"; and in his opinion, it was the great merit of the newly framed Constitution that it secured the rights of the minority against "the superior force of an intersted and overbearing majority." This very system of checks and balances, which is undeniably the essential element of the Constitution, is built upon the doctrine that the popular branch of the government cannot be allowed full sway, and least of all in the enactment of laws touching the rights of property. The exclusion of the direct popular vote in the election of the President; the creation, again by indirect election, of a Senate which the framers hoped would represent the wealth and conservative interests of the country, and the establishment of an independent judiciary appointed by the President with the concurrence of the Senate - all these devices bear witness to the fact that the underlying purpose of the Constitution was not the establishment of popular government by means of Parlementary majorities.' De pursuit of happiness uit de Onafhankelijkheids Verklaring werd in de Grondwet vervangen door de pursuit of property. Eigendom en niet geluk moest beschermd worden tegen de heerschappij van het volk. En daarom wordt uit naam van de parlementaire democratie permanent oorlog gevoerd tegen een zwakkere vijand.