Local/Global
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"Democracy Begins Where You Live."
–Astra Taylor
If democracy begins where you live, then where is it meant to end? Democracies can be either local, global, or both. Local is considered the city or immediate community you live in while global expands to the entire planet. There is tension between the two. As people living in a local democracy, are we responsible for spreading and establishing democracy in other corners of the world? People tend to be selfish and often only care about things that only concern them directly. If this is true, the idea of a global, shared democracy is undesirable or even doomed to failure. And yet, democracies today speak of the need to spread democracy throughout the world. Where do the responsibilities of the demos lie: at home or abroad or both? Is it the role and responsibility of democratic nations to export their democracy to other communities and what are the limitations of this pursuit?
An Iraqi woman shows off the purple stain on her finger indicating that she voted
In 2003, the United States invaded Iraq during their “war on terror”, claiming that they were bringing democracy to the Iraqi people. The purple ink on the fingers of Iraqi voters came to symbolize Iraq’s move towards creating their own democracy. In truth, the Iraqi citizens voted in the vast majority to throw out the U.S. installed leader, Ayad Allawi, in favour of a new leader who would take measures to ensure the U.S left their country. But why would the people of Iraq try to throw out the nation that was “giving” them democracy? The answer links back to the opening quote stated by Astra Taylor “Democracy begins where you live”. The people of Iraq wanted and deserved a democracy on their own terms, not ones being forced on them by a foreign country. But this raises the question of how a nation like the U.S. – with a questionable democracy of their own – can believe it to be their responsibility to spread democracy beyond its borders? This looks and feels hypocritical. Democracy is for and by the people and the U.S. intentions of inflicting democracy on the Iraqi people must be considered suspect at best and anti-democratic at worst.
In a globalized world, where do the borders of democracy end, and who is to decide if they even exist? To answer this question we have to establish that democracy starts at home, where we live. When talking about establishing democracy in other countries, it has to start with those who call foreign lands home. Democracy cannot and should not be imposed on people as that goes against the foundational principles of democracy. As people who live in a “democracy”, we suggest that the spread of democracy should be an organic choice, not something forced.
Lea K Rowan B
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