LEGAL KNOWLEDGE

TOPIC:
VOX POPULIP
MEANING:
A belief or sentiment shared by most people; the voice of the
people
DETAILED INSIGHT:
The term “vox populi” sounds like the sort of thing that would
have been commonly evoked in the Roman Republic, but the
earliest known reference to equating it with the voice of God
(“Vox populi, vox Dei)—in a disapproving way—is attributed to
Saxon scholar and teacher Alcuin of York (735-804), then
Master of the Palace School at Aachen. In a letter to the
Emperor Charlemagne in 800, he wrote, “And those people
should not be listened to who keep saying the voice of the
people is the voice of God, since the riotousness of the crowd
is always close to insanity.”
RELEVANCE IN INDIA:
Vox populi is a Latin phrase that literally translates as "the voice
of the people." It can be found in the longer maxim, "Vox populi,
vox Dei," which means "The voice of the people is the voice of
God." Many people think that expression means that the people
are always right, but it really implies that the will of the masses -
right or wrong is often irresistible. India wherein Vox populi
encompasses a chief aspect. Media is taken into consideration
to be the fourth pillar of the society, the opposite three beings,
legislative, executive and therefore the judiciary system. It is
even stated to be a 'mirror' and `modular' of Vox populi.
Democracy is about people. We are the true sovereigns, and all
public functionaries are our servants. Parliament and
government are subordinate to our will.