Not sure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Not sure - Essay Example In the speech â€Å"Repeal of the Missouri Compromise,† former U.S President Abraham Lincoln noted that basic understanding of democracy is that citizens must be given equal say to their government and that thus, democracy derives its powers from the consent of those it governs. Likewise, the rules of democracy are the same for those that govern as those that are governed. The basics of democracy align with views of what is considered good or bad in fairness and equality of all persons (Lincoln 6). Reason derives from the same thought that man, in his thinking, cognitive ability, and intellect is able to understand good and bad. All aspects of democracy cannot exist without reasoning which is part of every human being. What one person or a group of people perceive and believe to be right or otherwise is expressed in exercise of democratic right. Abraham Lincoln’s speech given in Peoria supports this ideal. He quotes from the U.S Declaration of Independence which consent s to the truth that all men having being created equal have the basic rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness (Lincoln 7). In this speech Lincoln outwardly speaks of the wrong about the Missouri Compromise which in its passing in 1820 sought to create a ‘balance’ between Western U.S states that were pro-slavery and anti-slavery. Lincoln’s view was that slavery does not comply with either of the democratic views of governing with consent of the governed and application of the same rules to both the governing and the governed. In his view too, Lincoln argued that moral reason did not agree with Whites having the right to self-government while Blacks having no such rights yet all are under one government and under the same Declaration of Independence. Democracy all over the world is practised uniquely to each country. Principles and traditions of different nations often influence the understanding of democracy and it is only fair to respect each nationâ₠¬â„¢s understanding of this whether the democratic policies are agreeable or not. However, there are some universal beliefs and attitudes, derived from reasoning that must be addressed by every democracy. These beliefs and attitudes are manifest in human rights that each nation must adhere to. The rights to free-state and peaceful living are from logical thinking and they cannot be thought of separately from democracy. As a nation, United States of America justifies its war with Afghanistan with the democratic right of American citizens to security and peaceful living. The U.S pursuit of Al Qaeda is supported by the U.S president’s obligation as well as the entire government’s duty to keep intact the democratic rights promised to its citizens in the U.S constitution (Obama 2) Another issue that proves the close link between reason and democracy is that reason is public and it is free just as democracy is. Whatever man thinks of or applies logic to is up to him just as the same man is free to make a democratic choice as he sees fit to his thinking or logic. In the Theban Dialogue between Theseus and the Theban Herald, Theseus describes the state of freedom as one which permits an individual to speak or remain silent as he chooses to (Euripides_The Suppliant_Trans. Coleridge 2). No one person can prevent another human from naturally applying reasoning to justify actions of behaviours. Likewise in democracy not even the leaders or