Democratic Rights: Decision-Making by Law Makers and Law Enforcers
Author(s)
Peter Emerson
ABSTRACT
The court of law is often adversarial; the more usual question, after all, is binary: guilty or not guilty? The parliament which makes the law, however, need not subject complex questions to dichotomous judgements, or a series of dichotomies: indeed, the corresponding debate should consider all relevant options on an equal basis. Accordingly, this article questions the propriety of a majoritarian polity, considers a less adversarial voting procedure, and contemplates a more inclusive political structure, in order then to argue that human rights legislations should be far more specific on the subject of democratic rights. Such a development may depend less upon the politician and more upon the lawyer.
The court of law is often adversarial; the more usual question, after all, is binary: guilty or not guilty? The parliament which makes the law, however, need not subject complex questions to dichotomous judgements, or a series of dichotomies: indeed, the corresponding debate should consider all relevant options on an equal basis. Accordingly, this article questions the propriety of a majoritarian polity, considers a less adversarial voting procedure, and contemplates a more inclusive political structure, in order then to argue that human rights legislations should be far more specific on the subject of democratic rights. Such a development may depend less upon the politician and more upon the lawyer.
Cite this paper
P. Emerson, "Democratic Rights: Decision-Making by Law Makers and Law Enforcers," Beijing Law Review, Vol. 4 No. 2, 2013, pp. 77-81. doi: 10.4236/blr.2013.42010.
P. Emerson, "Democratic Rights: Decision-Making by Law Makers and Law Enforcers," Beijing Law Review, Vol. 4 No. 2, 2013, pp. 77-81. doi: 10.4236/blr.2013.42010.
References
[1] Churchill, W. S. (1974). A history of the English-speaking peoples. London: Cassell. [2] Emerson, P. (2000). From Belfast to the Balkans. Belfast: The de Borda Institute. [3] Emerson, P. (2007). Designing an all-inclusive democracy. Heidelberg: Springer. [4] Emerson, P. (2012). Defining democracy. Heidelberg: Springer. [5] Emerson, P. (2013). The original Borda count and partial voting. Social Choice and Welfare, 40, 353-358. http://www.springerlink.com/openurl.asp?genre=article&id=doi:10.1007/s00355-011-0603-9 [6] Government of Ireland (1996). Report of the constitution review group. Dublin: Government of Ireland. [7] Huntington, S. P. (1997). The clash of civilisations. New York: Simon and Schuster. [8] Kapusciński, R. (2002). The shadow of the sun. London: Penguin. [9] Ketcham, R. (1984). Presidents above party. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina. [10] Lewis, S. A. (1965). Politics in West Africa. London: George Allen and Unwin. [11] McLean, I., & Urken, A. B. (1995). Classics of social choice. Ann Abbor: University of Michigan. [12] Saari, D. G. (2008). Disposing dictators, demystifying voting paradoxes. Cambridge: Cup. [13] Sigmund, P. E. (1963). Nicholas of Cusa and medieval political thought. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. [14] Ste Croix, G. E. M. (2005). Athenian democratic origins. Oxford: Oup. [15] Woodward, S. L. (1995). Balkan tragedy. Washington DC: The Brookings Institute.
[1] Churchill, W. S. (1974). A history of the English-speaking peoples. London: Cassell. [2] Emerson, P. (2000). From Belfast to the Balkans. Belfast: The de Borda Institute. [3] Emerson, P. (2007). Designing an all-inclusive democracy. Heidelberg: Springer. [4] Emerson, P. (2012). Defining democracy. Heidelberg: Springer. [5] Emerson, P. (2013). The original Borda count and partial voting. Social Choice and Welfare, 40, 353-358. http://www.springerlink.com/openurl.asp?genre=article&id=doi:10.1007/s00355-011-0603-9 [6] Government of Ireland (1996). Report of the constitution review group. Dublin: Government of Ireland. [7] Huntington, S. P. (1997). The clash of civilisations. New York: Simon and Schuster. [8] Kapusciński, R. (2002). The shadow of the sun. London: Penguin. [9] Ketcham, R. (1984). Presidents above party. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina. [10] Lewis, S. A. (1965). Politics in West Africa. London: George Allen and Unwin. [11] McLean, I., & Urken, A. B. (1995). Classics of social choice. Ann Abbor: University of Michigan. [12] Saari, D. G. (2008). Disposing dictators, demystifying voting paradoxes. Cambridge: Cup. [13] Sigmund, P. E. (1963). Nicholas of Cusa and medieval political thought. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. [14] Ste Croix, G. E. M. (2005). Athenian democratic origins. Oxford: Oup. [15] Woodward, S. L. (1995). Balkan tragedy. Washington DC: The Brookings Institute.