Democracy: the Corrupt System for Humanity

Nowadays, most of nations in the world regard Democracy as the best system for Humanity. Especially if it is compared with authoritarian or totalitarian government, democracy will be regarded as the best system (see. Ilusi Negara Demokrasi). Furthermore, many people in the west believe that if it is not democracy then it should be a totalitarian regime and vice verse. Abraham Lincoln once stated that democracy is government “of the people, by the people, and for the people” (What is Democracy?, United States Information Agency: 4).

However, I believe that Democracy is the root of problems that happen in this country today. Through this article, I will show three reasons about the corruptness of democracy. I also attach some arguments that support my opinions.

The first argument comes from a British statesman, Winston Churchil, uttering “Democracy is the worst possible form of government” (Ismail Yusanto, “Negara Demokrasi: Memang Ilusi”: 2009). Ismail explained (Ismail: 2009a), based on general agreement, in the same manner as Abraham Lincoln, democracy means government “of the people, by the people, and for the people”.  Pointing this phrase, he explained (Ismail: 2009b) that the main idea (concept) of democracy is sovereignty of the people. He also wrote (Ismail: 2009c) the treat of rule which based on general agreement actually had been warned in the birthplace of democracy itself, long time ago. The Greek’s prominent thinkers and Masters of Philosophy, such as Plato and Aristoteles, regard democracy as a dangerous and impractical system (Farid Wadjdi & Shiddiq Al-Jawi et.al, 2009).  Moreover, Aristoteles adds (Ismail: 2009d), “Government that based on majority election –mob rule- will easy to be influenced by the demagogues and finally will decline into dictatorial”. Hence, it must be true what had become Benjamin Constan’s fear in his statement, “Democracy (will) carry us into the frightening path, viz, dictatorial parliament.” (see Ilusi Negara Demokrasi). That is the first reason, why democracy should be thrown away.

Another reason is proposed by Thomas Jefferson, a political observer of the west. He declares, “A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the right of the other forty-nine.” (Khilafah Magazine: 2003a). According to his statement, the right will be taken away from the minority. If it happened, I believe there will be no place for the right, in other words the definition of right will become fuzzy. I think whoever that still has a healthy mind and completely sane will never accept it because it is irrational and can’t be accepted by logic. For example, what do you think if people in this country agree to ratify prostitution, then it is ratified and be regarded as right only because of the result of majority election? Of course our thought will be against that, rightness is not that poor. But in front of democracy, no matter it takes as long as it’s a majority election, it will be marked as right. So this is the second reason that shows us the corruptness of democracy.

On the secular state context, democracy has a very tight relationship with economic Capitalism (Farid Wadjdi & Shiddiq Al-Jawi et.al, 2009). They also stated, through this mechanism a variety of lows, rules and policies is born from the hands of people’s representation and rulers such as privatization, liberalization, dispossession of subsidy, obligation, etc. Point to this, mechanism of democracy allows the variety of rules that bias to the Capitalist (see. Ilusi Negara Demokrasi: 75). In other words, democracy is giving up the arrangement of material resources to the Capitalist. Arief stated (2009) it is possible –giving up the arrangement of material resources to the Capitalist, even though it’s against democracy itself- because the parliament and rulers always be dominated by the capitalist or people who have a close relationship with the capitalist. Concerning on this matter, Husain Matla states (2009), “it could be right for Abraham Lincoln (1860-1865) said that democracy is of the people, by the people, and for the people. But, President Rutherford B. Hayes, in 1976 (only eleven years after Lincoln dead), said that the condition in US at that time is of company, by company, and for company.” (Husain Matla, “Demokrasi: Daulat Para Pemilik Modal”: 2009). It also reminds us of an honest appraisal that declared by Oscar Wilde, “Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people, by the people, and for the people” (Khilafah Magazine, 2003 b). That becomes our third argument that against democracy.

According to the statements above, we can conclude that democracy is not the system that is suitable for humanity. Moreover, Winston Chuchil asserted that democracy is the worst possible form of government (see. Ismail Yusanto, “Negara Demokrasi: Memang Ilusi”, 2009). Also, it has become a general opinion among politicians that democracy will ratify the jungle rules among human. Quotes to what Aristoteles stated (see. Ilusi Negara Demokrasi) democracy will easy to be influenced by some people, it happens in what so-called democracy state. In this country, the arrangement of material resources is no different as the condition of US in 1976 that was stated by former President Rutherford B. Hayes, “of the company, by the company, and for the company” (Husain Matla, “Demokrasi: Daulat Para Pemilik Modal”, 2009). Consequently, it has caused a humungous discrepancy between the rich (capitalist) and the poor (people). There is no prosperity for the poor because they’re broke. The Politicians believe, the movement to occupy WALL STREET or Occupy Movement that happened a few months ago is a solid prove of the discrepancy in Europe –the base of democracy itself-. 

So I’ve been thinking, if democracy even can’t stand with its own concept and always be incompatible in the practices, or even there are so many people in the west are aware of the dangers of democracy, then why it is (democracy) always be forced to be accepted by the Muslim’s country although they are against it. In this point, we can conclude that behind all of those facts, there must be a hidden reason for them to do that..So through this article, I want to invite you to change the system in this country with another system. Finally there are only two choices for us, whether to throw away democracy –change it with another system-, or defend democracy and finish our life in agony.