7. What is Liberal Democracy. Discuss its salient features.
Answers
Liberal democracy emphasises the separation of powers, an independent judiciary and a system of checks and balances between branches of government. Liberal democracies are likely to emphasise the importance of the state being a Rechtsstaat, i.e. a state that follows the principle of rule of law.
líճҽɾαl ժҽตօcɾαcվ:-
☞ ʟɪʙᴇʀᴀʟ ᴅᴇᴍᴏᴄʀᴀᴄʏ ᴇᴍᴘʜᴀsɪsᴇs ᴛʜᴇ sᴇᴘᴀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀs, ᴀɴ ɪɴᴅᴇᴘᴇɴᴅᴇɴᴛ ᴊᴜᴅɪᴄɪᴀʀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ sʏsᴛᴇᴍ ᴏғ ᴄʜᴇᴄᴋs ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴀʟᴀɴᴄᴇs ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ʙʀᴀɴᴄʜᴇs ᴏғ ɢᴏᴠᴇʀɴᴍᴇɴᴛ. ʟɪʙᴇʀᴀʟ ᴅᴇᴍᴏᴄʀᴀᴄɪᴇs ᴀʀᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇʟʏ ᴛᴏ ᴇᴍᴘʜᴀsɪsᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀᴛᴇ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴀ ʀᴇᴄʜᴛssᴛᴀᴀᴛ, ɪ.ᴇ. ᴀ sᴛᴀᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡs ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀɪɴᴄɪᴘʟᴇ ᴏғ ʀᴜʟᴇ ᴏғ ʟᴀᴡ.
Salient features of a liberal democracy:-
★ A liberal state can easily be distinguished from an authoritarian or totalitarian state and this is because of certain unique features of such a state.
1. A liberal state always adopts a liberal attitude towards the rights of citizens. Mention has been made that the most vital precondition of individual’s development is granting of rights and privileges to all individuals equitably.
If any inequality or discrimination is to be followed that must be for the general interest of the body politic and to the least disadvantage of anybody. By resorting to this system the authority of the liberal state will be in a position to ensure the progress of the individuals. In precise term liberalism implies what is granted in the forms of rights and privileges to one shall also be granted to others.
2. Liberal state presupposes the existence of many groups and organisations and the characteristic feature of a liberal state is they are engaged in cooperation and conflict among themselves. These groups are termed in various ways such as “power elite” “ruling elite” etc. There are also many interest groups.
Under normal and peaceful conditions liberal state does not normally intend to impose restrictions upon their activities. In an authoritarian state the prevalence of such a situation cannot be imagined. Plurality of ideas and organisations is a forbidden thing.
3. The liberal state maintains a neutrality among all these groups. Since multiplicity of groups and organisations and coexistence among them are the characteristic features of a liberal state any conflict or clash of interests can also be regarded as inevitable consequence. Here the question is: What would be the exact role of the state in this situation? The liberal state maintains utmost neutrality.
This is the claim of the votaries of a liberal state. The liberal state normally does not favour any particular class or elite group in the case of conflict. Though the state maintains neutrality the state is quite aware of clash of interests between classes and groups. As a provider of check and stability in the political system the state adopts reforms so that destabilization cannot occur.
A liberal state can reasonably be called a reformist state. Through frequent reforms a liberal state brings about changes in the political system. In fact, liberalism or liberal state is closely linked with reforms and in that sense it is based on reformism. It adopts liberal attitude to reforms.
4. The important feature of a liberal state is it is accountable to the citizenry which means that all its activities, decisions and policies are to be approved by the body politic. The consent and accountability is the twin ideas associated with the liberal state.
It means that the decision of the state is not final even though it is for the general welfare of the community. It is because what is welfare and what is not, is to be decided for whom it is meant. There is no scope of imposing anything upon the individuals against their will.
5. Liberal state is never a one-idea state; it embraces multiplicity of ideas, views and existence of numerous groups and parties. This finally indicates a competition among them. Competition involved seizure of political power through constitutional means, legal procedure and democratic ways, competition in views and ideas.
It is believed that the truth will emerge only from this struggle of words and ideas. That is why in a liberal state such a competition is always encouraged. J. S. Mill strong advocated for the competition among the different shades of views and ideas.