#Notes

I just had a delightful talk with my friend in the office. This conversation was caused by an intriguing article I had just read about Democracy and Liberalism.
Many of us probably think that Democracy and Liberalism are the same theory or assume that even though both concepts are different, these concepts are inseparable.
According to our discussion, we agreed that these two concepts are distinct because of the differences in their philosophical roots.
In my opinion, Democracy is a concept about equality and how people (the many) can control power. So, Democracy is about people’s sovereignty. According to my friend, Democracy is about representation. So, Democracy is about how the political system can ensure that every person in society can have access and opportunity to demonstrate their interest through a formal and legitimate system. He said that Democracy is about a space where every person’s interest can be represented equitably. Nowadays, this space can be embodied in a political party, electoral system, or any system or entity allowing people to articulate their needs or interests. In short, we do agree that Democracy is about how people can engage in defining and re-creating the central political discourse that relates to their daily life. Democracy is a path for every subordinated, marginalized, or excluded group to voice their political interests fearlessly. Democracy is about power for the people.
Yet, the question is, what is the difference between Democracy and liberalism?
Liberalism is about law supremacy (the rule of law), the separation of power, and the defense of individual liberty. In my friend’s terms, liberalism is all about human rights. When we talk about liberalism, it implies a universal value that is innate in every human being. In short, liberalism is about a right for every person to compete in a system guaranteed by law. You can do anything you want as long as it does not disregard the law and violate the rights of others.
Understanding this, we can see that liberalism and Democracy have very different objectives to achieve. Precisely both concepts can work together, but they may walk differently in practice.

Why???

Nowadays, we know we cannot find the condition that ensures every person has an equal modal to involve in any life competition. So when Democracy and liberalism work together, we can continuously see losers excluded and subordinated by the few with more capital. This circumstance will always create a strict boundary between the Rich and the Poor, the Smart and the Dumb, and the Few and the Many. So, when we try to embrace liberalism, at the same time, we can kill the very essence spirit of Democracy. Therefore, my friend and I argue that we need to encourage a new kind of Democracy that can accommodate every need of the class of society. Looking at Mouffe and Laclau’s theory, maybe we need to objectify Radical Democracy.