The Purpose of Democracy and the Need for Pluralism

• In Event: Pluralism as a Democratic Commitment

Abstract

Understanding the connection between democracy and pluralism begins with examination of the purpose of democracy. Contrary to the widespread assumption that the purpose of democracy is to enact the will of the people, I argue that its purpose is to achieve justice. By definition, democracy gives decision-making power to the people, but we should not confuse the institutional form of democracy with its normative purpose. We know that in our individual lives, our choices are properly constrained by morality or justice. These constraints do not evaporate when individuals join their agency to form a political community, but on the contrary are tightened because of ease with which communities can injure their own members or outsiders. Pluralism advances justice, because diversity of perspectives lifts up the voices of those who are oppressed and enables the critical distance necessary for seeing injustice. Black Lives Matter and #MeToo are, above all, a demand for justice. They are democratic because they are committed to achieving the purpose of democracy. I develop this argument with the help of Audre Lorde’s writings on difference.

Author

• Jamie Mayerfeld, University of Washington