Democracy, Religion, Faith, Philosophy

Without dialogue, democracy dies. Communication is the fuel that feeds debate, debate empowers democracy. No doubt Socrates was right, Democracy can only succeed if the electorate is educated, well informed. For that, you need education, education and a free press. Intelligence without compassion is merely knowledge. Knowledge without compassion is moderation without morals. What point is having moderation managed by the immoderate? Morals matter. Without morals, humankind ceases to be human.

When we think of nations who purport to have democracy who is it we think of? The USA? The UK? Europe? You'll be surprised. The following is from the Democracy Index as compiled by UK-based Economist Intelligence Unit...

"that measures the state of democracy in 167 countries, of which 166 are sovereign states and 165 are UN member states. The index was first produced in 2006, with updates for 2008, 2010 and the following years since then. The index is based on 60 indicators grouped in five different categories measuring pluralism, civil liberties, and political culture. In addition to a numeric score and a ranking, the index categorises countries as one of four regime types: full democracies, flawed democracies, hybrid regimes and authoritarian regimes."

Democracy Index 2016

Rank	Country	Score	Electoral process and pluralism	Functioning of government	Political participation	Political culture	Civil liberties	Category
1	Norway	9.93	10.00	9.64	10.00	10.00	10.00	Full democracy
2	Iceland	9.50	10.00	8.93	8.89	10.00	9.71	Full democracy
3	Sweden	9.39	9.58	9.64	8.33	10.00	9.41	Full democracy
4	New Zealand	9.26	10.00	9.29	8.89	8.13	10.00	Full democracy
5	Denmark	9.20	9.58	9.29	8.33	9.38	9.41	Full democracy
6	Canada	9.15	9.58	9.64	7.78	8.75	10.00	Full democracy
6	Ireland	9.15	9.58	7.86	8.33	10.00	10.00	Full democracy
8	Switzerland	9.09	9.58	9.29	7.78	9.38	9.41	Full democracy
9	Finland	9.03	10.00	8.93	7.78	8.75	9.71	Full democracy
10	Australia	9.01	9.58	8.93	7.78	8.75	10.00	Full democracy
11	Luxembourg	8.81	10.00	8.93	6.67	8.75	9.71	Full democracy
12	Netherlands	8.80	9.58	8.57	8.33	8.13	9.41	Full democracy
13	Germany	8.63	9.58	8.57	7.78	7.50	9.71	Full democracy
14	Austria	8.41	9.58	7.86	8.33	6.88	9.41	Full democracy
15	Malta	8.39	9.17	8.21	6.11	8.75	9.71	Full democracy
16	United Kingdom	8.36	9.58	7.14	7.22	8.75	9.12	Full democracy
17	Spain	8.30	9.58	7.14	7.22	8.13	9.41	Full democracy
18	Mauritius	8.28	9.17	8.21	5.56	8.75	9.71	Full democracy
19	Uruguay	8.17	10.00	8.93	4.44	7.50	10.00	Full democracy
20	Japan	7.99	8.75	8.21	6.67	7.50	8.82	Flawed democracy
21	United States	7.98	9.17	7.14	7.22	8.13	8.24	Flawed democracy
21	Italy	7.98	9.58	6.43	7.22	8.13	8.53	Flawed democracy
23	Cape Verde	7.94	9.17	7.86	6.67	6.88	9.12	Flawed democracy
24	France	7.92	9.58	7.14	7.78	6.25	8.82	Flawed democracy
24	South Korea	7.92	9.17	7.50	7.72	7.50	8.24	Flawed democracy
26	Costa Rica	7.88	9.58	7.14	6.11	6.88	9.71	Flawed democracy
27	Botswana	7.87	9.17	7.14	6.11	7.50	9.41	Flawed democracy
28	Portugal	7.86	9.58	6.79	6.67	6.88	9.41	Flawed democracy
29	Israel	7.85	9.17	7.50	8.89	7.50	6.18	Flawed democracy
29	Estonia	7.85	9.58	7.86	6.11	6.88	8.82	Flawed democracy
31	Czech Republic	7.82	9.58	7.14	6.67	6.88	8.82	Flawed democracy
32	India	7.81	9.58	7.50	7.22	5.63	9.12	Flawed democracy
33	Taiwan	7.79	9.58	8.21	6.11	5.63	9.41	Flawed democracy
34	Chile	7.78	9.58	8.57	4.44	6.88	9.41	Flawed democracy
35	Belgium	7.77	9.58	8.57	5.00	6.88	8.82	Flawed democracy
36	Cyprus	7.65	9.17	6.43	6.67	6.88	9.12	Flawed democracy
37	Slovenia	7.51	9.58	7.14	6.67	5.63	8.53	Flawed democracy
38	Lithuania	7.47	9.58	5.71	6.11	6.25	9.71	Flawed democracy
39	South Africa	7.41	7.92	7.86	8.33	5.00	7.94	Flawed democracy
40	Jamaica	7.39	9.17	6.79	5.00	6.88	9.12	Flawed democracy
41	Latvia	7.31	9.58	5.71	5.56	6.88	8.82	Flawed democracy
42	Slovakia	7.29	9.58	7.14	5.56	5.63	8.53	Flawed democracy
43	Timor-Leste	7.24	8.67	7.14	5.56	6.88	7.94	Flawed democracy
44	Greece	7.23	9.58	5.36	6.11	6.25	8.82	Flawed democracy
45	Panama	7.13	9.58	6.43	6.11	5.00	8.82	Flawed democracy
46	Trinidad and Tobago	7.10	9.58	7.14	5.56	5.00	8.24	Flawed democracy
47	Bulgaria	7.01	9.17	6.07	7.22	4.38	8.24	Flawed democracy
48	Indonesia	6.97	7.75	7.14	6.67	6.25	7.06	Flawed democracy
49	Argentina	6.96	9.17	5.00	6.11	6.88	7.65	Flawed democracy
50	Philippines	6.94	9.17	5.71	7.22	4.38	8.24	Flawed democracy
51	Brazil	6.90	9.58	6.79	5.56	3.75	8.82	Flawed democracy
52	Poland	6.83	9.17	5.71	6.67	4.38	8.24	Flawed democracy
53	Suriname	6.77	9.17	6.43	5.00	5.00	8.24	Flawed democracy
54	Croatia	6.75	9.17	6.07	5.56	5.00	7.94	Flawed democracy
54	Ghana	6.75	8.33	5.71	6.11	6.25	7.35	Flawed democracy
56	Hungary	6.72	9.17	6.07	4.44	6.88	7.06	Flawed democracy
57	Dominican Republic	6.67	8.75	5.71	5.00	6.25	7.65	Flawed democracy
57	Colombia	6.67	9.17	7.14	4.44	4.38	8.24	Flawed democracy
59	Peru	6.65	9.17	5.36	6.11	4.38	8.24	Flawed democracy
60	El Salvador	6.64	9.17	6.07	4.44	5.00	8.53	Flawed democracy
61	Romania	6.62	9.17	5.71	5.00	5.00	8.24	Flawed democracy
61	Mongolia	6.62	9.17	5.71	5.00	5.00	8.24	Flawed democracy
63	Lesotho	6.59	8.25	5.36	6.67	5.63	7.06	Flawed democracy
64	Serbia	6.57	8.75	5.36	6.67	5.00	7.06	Flawed democracy
65	Malaysia	6.54	6.92	7.86	6.11	6.25	5.59	Flawed democracy
66	Sri Lanka	6.48	7.83	6.79	5.00	6.88	5.88	Flawed democracy
67	Mexico	6.47	7.92	6.07	7.22	4.38	6.76	Flawed democracy
68	Hong Kong	6.42	3.92	5.71	5.56	7.50	9.41	Flawed democracy
69	Tunisia	6.40	6.00	6.07	7.78	6.25	5.58	Flawed democracy
70	Singapore	6.38	4.33	7.86	6.61	6.25	7.35	Flawed democracy
71	Namibia	6.31	5.67	5.36	6.67	5.63	8.24	Flawed democracy
72	Paraguay	6.27	8.33	5.71	5.00	4.38	7.94	Flawed democracy
73	Guyana	6.25	8.33	5.36	6.11	4.38	7.06	Flawed democracy
74	Senegal	6.21	7.92	5.36	4.44	6.25	7.06	Flawed democracy
75	Papua New Guinea	6.03	6.92	6.07	3.89	5.63	7.65	Flawed democracy
76	Moldova	6.01	7.92	4.29	6.11	4.38	7.35	Flawed democracy
77	Zambia	5.99	7.08	5.36	3.89	6.88	6.76	Hybrid regime
78	Georgia	5.93	8.67	4.29	6.11	5.00	5.59	Hybrid regime
79	Honduras	5.92	9.17	5.71	3.89	4.38	6.47	Hybrid regime
79	Guatemala	5.92	7.92	6.07	3.89	4.38	7.35	Hybrid regime
81	Albania	5.91	7.00	4.36	5.56	5.00	7.65	Hybrid regime
82	Ecuador	5.81	8.25	4.64	5.00	4.38	6.76	Hybrid regime
83	Tanzania	5.76	7.00	5.00	5.56	6.25	5.00	Hybrid regime
84	Bangladesh	5.73	7.42	5.07	5.00	4.38	6.76	Hybrid regime
85	Montenegro	5.72	7.08	5.36	5.00	4.38	6.76	Hybrid regime
86	Ukraine	5.70	5.83	3.93	6.67	5.00	7.06	Hybrid regime
86	Mali	5.70	7.42	3.93	4.44	6.25	6.47	Hybrid regime
88	Benin	5.67	6.50	5.36	5.00	5.63	5.88	Hybrid regime
89	Fiji	5.64	4.58	5.71	6.67	5.63	5.59	Hybrid regime
90	Bolivia	5.63	7.00	5.36	5.00	3.75	7.06	Hybrid regime
91	Malawi	5.55	6.58	4.29	4.44	6.25	6.18	Hybrid regime
92	Kenya	5.33	4.33	5.00	6.67	5.63	5.00	Hybrid regime
93	Liberia	5.31	7.83	2.57	5.56	5.00	5.59	Hybrid regime
94	Uganda	5.26	5.25	3.57	4.44	6.88	6.18	Hybrid regime
95	Macedonia	5.23	6.92	3.21	6.11	3.75	6.18	Hybrid regime
96	Madagascar	5.07	5.92	3.57	5.56	5.63	4.71	Hybrid regime
97	Turkey	5.04	5.83	6.07	5.00	5.63	2.65	Hybrid regime
98	Kyrgyzstan	4.93	7.42	2.93	5.56	3.75	5.00	Hybrid regime
98	Bhutan	4.93	8.33	5.36	2.78	4.38	3.82	Hybrid regime
100	Thailand	4.92	4.50	3.93	5.00	5.00	6.18	Hybrid regime
101	Bosnia and Herzegovina	4.87	6.50	2.93	5.00	3.75	6.18	Hybrid regime
102	Lebanon	4.86	4.42	2.14	7.78	4.38	5.59	Hybrid regime
102	Nepal	4.86	4.33	4.29	4.44	5.63	5.59	Hybrid regime
104	Nicaragua	4.81	4.50	3.29	3.89	5.63	6.76	Hybrid regime
105	Morocco	4.77	4.75	4.64	4.44	5.63	4.41	Hybrid regime
106	Burkina Faso	4.70	4.42	4.29	4.44	5.63	4.71	Hybrid regime
107	Venezuela	4.68	5.67	2.50	5.56	4.38	5.29	Hybrid regime
108	Sierra Leone	4.55	5.68	1.86	2.78	6.25	5.29	Hybrid regime
109	Nigeria	4.50	6.08	4.29	3.33	4.38	4.41	Hybrid regime
110	Palestine	4.49	4.33	2.14	7.78	4.38	3.82	Hybrid regime
111	Pakistan	4.33	6.00	5.36	2.78	2.50	5.00	Hybrid regime
112	Cambodia	4.27	3.17	5.71	3.33	5.00	4.12	Hybrid regime
113	Myanmar	4.20	3.17	3.57	4.44	6.88	2.94	Hybrid regime
114	Iraq	4.08	4.33	0.07	7.22	4.38	4.41	Hybrid regime
115	Mozambique	4.02	4.42	2.14	5.00	5.00	3.53	Hybrid regime
115	Haiti	4.02	5.17	2.21	2.22	3.75	6.76	Hybrid regime
117	Mauritania	3.96	3.00	4.29	5.00	3.13	4.41	Authoritarian
117	Jordan	3.96	4.00	4.29	3.89	4.38	3.24	Authoritarian
117	Niger	3.96	4.75	2.21	2.22	3.75	6.76	Authoritarian
120	Armenia	3.88	4.33	2.86	4.44	1.88	5.88	Authoritarian
121	Kuwait	3.85	3.17	4.29	3.89	4.38	3.53	Authoritarian
122	Ivory Coast	3.81	3.42	2.86	3.33	5.63	3.82	Authoritarian
123	Gabon	3.74	2.58	2.21	4.44	5.63	3.82	Authoritarian
124	Comoros	3.71	4.33	2.21	4.44	3.75	3.82	Authoritarian
125	Ethiopia	3.60	0.00	3.57	5.56	5.63	3.24	Authoritarian
126	Algeria	3.56	2.58	2.21	3.89	5.00	4.12	Authoritarian
127	Belarus	3.54	1.33	3.57	3.89	6.25	2.65	Authoritarian
128	Cameroon	3.46	2.00	3.21	3.89	4.38	3.82	Authoritarian
128	Cuba	3.46	1.75	4.64	3.89	4.38	2.65	Authoritarian
130	Angola	3.40	0.92	3.21	5.56	4.38	2.94	Authoritarian
131	Vietnam	3.38	0.00	3.21	3.89	6.88	2.94	Authoritarian
132	Togo	3.32	3.58	1.14	2.78	5.00	4.12	Authoritarian
133	Egypt	3.31	2.58	3.93	3.33	3.75	2.94	Authoritarian
134	Russia	3.24	2.67	2.50	5.00	2.50	3.53	Authoritarian
135	Qatar	3.18	0.00	3.93	2.22	5.63	4.12	Authoritarian
136	China	3.14	0.00	4.64	3.33	6.25	1.47	Authoritarian
137	Guinea	3.14	3.50	0.43	4.44	4.38	2.94	Authoritarian
138	Rwanda	3.07	0.83	5.00	2.22	4.38	2.94	Authoritarian
139	Kazakhstan	3.06	0.50	2.14	4.44	4.38	3.82	Authoritarian
140	Zimbabwe	3.05	0.50	2.00	3.89	5.63	3.24	Authoritarian
141	Oman	3.04	0.00	3.93	2.78	4.38	4.12	Authoritarian
142	Swaziland	3.03	0.92	2.86	2.22	5.63	3.53	Authoritarian
143	Republic of the Congo	2.91	1.67	2.86	3.33	3.75	2.94	Authoritarian
143	Gambia	2.91	1.75	3.21	2.22	5.00	2.35	Authoritarian
145	Djibouti	2.83	0.42	2.14	3.33	5.63	2.65	Authoritarian
146	Bahrain	2.79	1.25	3.21	2.78	4.38	2.35	Authoritarian
147	United Arab Emirates	2.75	0.00	3.57	2.22	5.00	2.94	Authoritarian
148	Azerbaijan	2.65	0.50	2.14	3.33	3.75	3.53	Authoritarian
149	Afghanistan	2.55	2.50	1.14	2.78	2.50	3.82	Authoritarian
150	Burundi	2.40	-0.33	0.79	3.89	5.00	2.65	Authoritarian
151	Sudan	2.37	0.00	1.79	3.89	5.00	1.18	Authoritarian
151	Eritrea	2.37	0.00	2.14	1.67	6.88	1.18	Authoritarian
151	Laos	2.37	0.83	2.86	1.67	5.00	1.47	Authoritarian
154	Iran	2.34	0.00	3.21	3.89	3.13	1.47	Authoritarian
155	Libya	2.25	1.00	0.00	1.67	5.63	2.94	Authoritarian
156	Yemen	2.07	0.00	0.00	4.44	5.00	0.88	Authoritarian
157	Guinea-Bissau	1.98	1.67	0.00	2.78	3.13	2.35	Authoritarian
158	Uzbekistan	1.95	0.08	1.86	2.22	5.00	0.59	Authoritarian
159	Democratic Republic of the Congo	1.93	0.92	0.71	2.78	4.38	0.88	Authoritarian
159	Saudi Arabia	1.93	0.00	2.86	2.22	3.13	1.47	Authoritarian
161	Tajikistan	1.89	0.58	0.07	1.67	6.25	0.88	Authoritarian
162	Turkmenistan	1.83	0.00	0.79	2.78	5.00	0.59	Authoritarian
163	Equatorial Guinea	1.70	0.00	0.43	2.22	4.38	1.47	Authoritarian
164	Central African Republic	1.61	1.75	0.36	1.11	2.50	2.35	Authoritarian
165	Chad	1.50	0.00	0.00	1.11	3.75	2.65	Authoritarian
166	Syria	1.43	0.00	0.00	2.78	4.38	0.00	Authoritarian
167	North Korea	1.08	0.00	2.50	1.67	1.25	0.00	Authoritarian

Any individual who states they support democracy has to be able to discuss their point of view without fear of abuse from another. The abuser abuses those they cannot debate for lack of a solid argument. Disapprobation of political policies based on moral grounds cannot be wantonly maltreated purely because what is being said upsets one person's point of view. The whole point of democracy is to air opinions the better to create a moral, just society. Without this balance harmonious accord fractures into a distinct division. And there is too much division in this world and too little love and compassion.

The same is true of religion as it is of politics. Exclusivism excludes. Having your own faith is all fine and dandy but not when belief belittles others of a different faith. Singularity slides into division perpetuating discord. What is surely needed is a plurality.  Exclusivism comes awfully close to fundamentalism much in the way neoliberalism comes awfully close to authoritarianism, even fascism. Extremism of any sort is not only fundamentalism but fundamentally flawed. 

I am a non-theist, that is I do not worship or follow a single, or a pantheon, of deities. That being so does not mean I need be disrespectful to those who do. For me, God is but a word that describes the unknowable, the undefinable. Tao is another for Tao means the way and early Christian's believed their worship of God was the way. If we hold true to the Golden Rule, if we hold true to being compassionate and loving toward all sentient beings then surely having a kinship of faiths is preferable?

To achieve this we must have discourse with those of other faiths. We must endeavour to listen even when sceptical and to be respectful at all times for those other faiths, those other philosophies all hold true to the same Golden Rule I live my life by.

The key to democracy, religion, faith and philosophy is communication and to communicate we must listen.