U Yan Aung (BABL) - Basic Democracy

The basic principles of constitutional democracy

(Part One)

Greetings. On this earth of 197 million square miles, there are more than two billion people living on it. It is impossible for such a large population to live on an island. Even if it were possible, it would be difficult to grow and develop, and there would be no benefit. If we had to live separately, no one would want to live like that forever. For all the people of this world, it is inevitable that they will have to communicate and live together.

Because of this, various problems in communication and society have arisen. Among these various problems in communication and society, there is also the issue of living in a disciplined manner. What does discipline mean? It does not mean the kind of lifeless discipline in a cemetery, nor does it mean the kind of discipline in a prison with shackles. It only means the kind of discipline in which people can freely cultivate their own lives and live happily. Such discipline is a natural and correct law.

Order is the first condition of life for humans to survive in this world. "Order is the First Condition of Life," wrote the great political scientist RM Maciver in his book "The Modern State."

It is evident that discipline is based on discipline.

Disciplinary matters that concern the public are called political matters.

Thus, it is seen that political issues arise because people inevitably interact and live together.

We need to examine the nature of discipline. It is seen that discipline has the nature of restricting people's inherent freedom.

How long can a person ignore such restrictive regulations?

Without any rules and regulations, peace will be lost and life will not be possible. Too many rules and regulations can cause everything from a rigid lifestyle to the loss of life.

In this way, people become particularly interested in and concerned with the issue of law and order (or politics).

The issue of what kind of regulation should be made, what kind of law should be made, and how much should be made, becomes more important than necessary, and politics becomes more important.

Great political scholars have written many books on these legal (or political) issues, with various philosophies.

Some say that regulation is restrictive and completely undesirable. The so-called "Anarchists" are the absolute supporters of this ideology.

Some people advocate for regulation of everything. The so -called totalitarian sect seems to support this ideology to a greater or lesser extent.

The moderate ideology is democratic, and the aim is to ensure that regulations do not infringe on people's freedoms more than necessary.

The purpose of democracy

(a) People-centered

It has been stated that the purpose of democracy is to make laws without infringing on people's freedom more than necessary.

It can be seen that the focus in that statement is on the person.

There are two sides: the governing body on one side, and the individual on the other. In these two sides, the opinions of each side are written in various political ideologies.

Among the various ideologies written, there was no political ideology that focused on people.

For the first time in world history, democracy was the only political ideology that focused on the individual. It was a clear and visible ideological struggle.

This is a particularly noteworthy point in the history of the progress of the world's people. It was not easy for those who first preached this ideology. They are still fighting today.

Why preach to put people first?

It is written in detail in the relevant chapter. I will only briefly describe it here.

The right to life is a priceless privilege. Regardless of race, religion, age, gender, all human beings are entitled to the priceless privilege of life.

This is not just a matter of hearing it, but one must accept and believe it wholeheartedly as true, without reservation.

The distinction between power and powerlessness, wealth and poverty, beauty and ugliness, etc., is a value that people define in the human world.

Only conventional valuations