When supreme powers are vested in a single individual—such as a president—it often leads to arrogance, autocracy or corruption!
The ideal concept of a “philosopher-ruler” to govern wisely in the interest of the country and its people never did exist! Such a noble delusion of a democratic government it was first introduced by Cleisthenes in the Greek city-state of Athens from 5th to 4th century BCE.
Direct democracy was a short-lived experience and has remained a delusion ever since—a valued aspiration nevertheless— but still a mirage of one’s own figment of imagination!
In consequence the world has adopted a diluted form of the Athenian democracy on the basic principle of majority rule! With all its flaws, nations governed under democracy—which Plato declared as “a breeding ground of corruption”—has proven to be far the best political system of all other alternatives! The present form of democratic governments “by the people for the people” in which “supreme power is vested in the people and elected representatives” is now widely accepted.
However, most modern-day democracies are defined on distrust; distrust in the ability of the people to make well-informed decisions in a prevailing arrangement that actually inhibits voters from the decision making process! In consequence, political parties that formulate a government have become an elitist clique and remote from those that elected them into office—a most shameful act indeed! Abstention and blank/white votes today surpass the overall cast of votes—as in the case of France’s recent elections with 52.49 percent of voters choosing to stay away; that certainly does not represent a majority government in a true democracy!
From the time when the Athenian direct democracy was first introduced (circa 508 BC) two prominent generic form of political systems have emerged: the Presidential system and Parliamentary system, which date as far back as the 18th-century! In 930 the first parliamentary assembly of the Albingi convened in Iceland while the oldest continuous parliament remains the Tynwald of the Isle of Man. Switzerland has been the only nation in the world to apply the Athenian city-state democratic principle of direct democracy in the country!
The Presidential System provides the platform for an elected president to make political, economic and social decisions without legislative approval or liability. As the supreme head of state, the president can serve multiple terms in office without the fear of being ousted by calls for resignation or political party manipulation. Presidential powers are enshrined in a constitution on the premise that: citizens have empowered the president to make unilateral decisions and not legislators or parliamentarians! The all-powerful mechanisation of electing an individual as a president “by the people for the people” offers the perfect platform to mutate into elected dictatorship! Removing a rogue president during his/her tenure in office can turn out to be a nightmare and can divide nations.
On the other hand, the Parliamentary System it’s far more transparent and directly accountable to the electorate through elected representation but as it happens, it too has its flaws! In the absence of a majority vote in the Legislature—through conniving tactics— the system can paralyse national policies and cripple the government. The one other lasting drawback of a legislative democracy is the quality of candidates chosen by the established political parties based on favouritism rather than merit. Meritocracy is non-existent and the electorate is compelled to vote from a hand picked party list of nominees without consensus! People’s votes are simply counted as a means to an end where under those conditions the candidate’s loyalty rests to the political party and not necessarily to the people who vote them into office.
Hegel claimed that: “The people…do not know what they want. To know what one wants is the fruit of profound insight and this is the very thing the rabble (common people) lack. We should venerate the State as an earthy divinity. Only the bureaucrat is the true servant and master of the State.”
The Treaty of Rome signed in 1957 was partly influenced by Hegel’s Germanic philosophy. The Treaty has created a new political entity that ultimately has developed into an institution of willing partners fusing nations into one melting pot and governed by unelected bureaucrats and “true servants and masters of the state”! Member states of this new supra-national organisation are required to abandon their currencies, border controls, laws and the right to govern as a prerequisite for joining the new institution that promises democratic values, transparency and prosperity. The creation of this supranational organisation—namely the European Union—could be considered as the cleverest political con and sleight of hand of the century! The founding principle of appointed government without elections under Quasidemocracy has now become the norm and the third political system alongside the Parliamentary and Presidential system!
Quasidemocracy is an entity dominated by supranational institutions based on a market economy and dominated by global banking organizations and big industries. It is governed by unelected bureaucrats appointed to draft rules and regulations without public accountability. In fact, this multinational entity has exploited the democratic principle of majority rule to justify the organisation’s supranational existence. Quasidemocracy operates under an appointment system of unelected commissioners, bureaucrats and politicians to control the lives of over 450 million EU citizens. This phenomenon had taken deep roots by amalgamating 27 sovereign nations into one institution; an institution headed by its appointed President and unelected Commissioners! They are legitimised and “democratized” by an existing pseudo European Parliament of convenience—convenience because the EU Parliament has no legitimacy to change, draft or make laws! It’s a lame parliament and exists in name only to rubberstamp the Commissioners’ decisions and policy agendas.
Its chosen president cannot be ousted under Quasidemocracy or under a Republic system and that truly undermines the very principle of democracy!
US President Donald Trump’s refusal to accept defeat is a prime example of abuse of power on the notion that an incumbent president is untouchable! So delusionary of his presidential autocracy Mr Trump incited a failed coup on January 6, 2021 against American Democracy. He has done so under false claims that the “election victory was stolen from him”. Luckily for America, Rule of Law prevailed over Rule of Man’s megalomaniac insanity!
Across the Atlantic, Russian President Vladimir Putin on the other hand, passed a law that would allow him to remain in office until 2036. Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan equally used a similar tactic and changed the Turkish constitution so he can continue as President for life! Adolf Hitler, when he rose to power, as a Chancellor and Nazi party leader in 1933 became the Supreme Fuhrer; the world knows very well what he did next!
It seems as if republics formulate the breeding ground for autocracy and wannabe dictators. It is therefore not hard to understand the temptation and desire for absolute power. It appears that people can resist wealth, glory and praise but none can resist the sweet taste of absolute power!
Apart from the Republic of Belarus and Cyprus, all other European countries are governed under legislative democracy where a Vote of No Confidence in government can remove the head of the state. This signifies that Rule of Law is sacrosanct but not so in the case of Presidential or Quasidemocracy where Rule of Man is relished by aspiring autocrats who refuse opposition in case their political ambitions are jeopardised.
A prime example of presidential domination is the recent decision by the EU President, Ursula von der Leyen to remove the powerful veto from member states on critical issues of national importance! The move has been brewed behind closed doors without Parliamentary debate, transparency or accountability. It is designed to clip the wings of smaller states like Malta and Cyprus and others from using their veto to stop the Commission’s unilateral decisions “of national importance”. That overall statement covers a wide range of issues such as EU/NATO global economic and military plans, fast-tracking EU membership (such as Ukraine) and a host of other issues. By removing the powerful veto of member states, it certainly opens the floodgates of grave uncertainty for the European Union!
The EU Quasidemocratic institution that was created on the cherished principles of rule of law and majority rule certainly now reeks of duplicity!
- Author/Artist/Writer
June 18, 2022
NOTE: Andreas C Chrysafis is a UK published author of five books and over 450 press articles but also a recognized artist. He is not political affiliated but a strong advocate for Democracy, Transparency, Equality and Human Right and a robust opponent to Corruption. His works are globally available and can be viewed at: https://www.amazon.com/Andreas-C.-Chrysafis/e/B00478I90O…
www.artpal.com/chrysafis