DEMOCRACY AND EDUCATION

1) INTRODUCTION
• In the classical Greek thought, politics was
regarded as the completion and verification of
ethics
• The state was regarded as a genuine moral
organization for advancing the development
of humans
• Aristotle thus talked of what he called the
three true forms of government:
• Monarchy – the rule by ‘one’ person (usually
King or Queen)
• Aristocracy – the rule by the nobles and
‘superior’
• Constitutional public – state governed through
set of principles
• He argues that the perverted forms of the three:
• Tyranny – the cruel rule by one who has absolute
power without legal right
• Oligarchy – the rule by the rich
• Democracy – the rule by the majority (many)
• Though Aristotle singled out the constitutional
republic as the best attainable form of government,
he nevertheless pointed out that with the spread
of population, democracy is likely to become the
generally acceptable form of government. However
the best form of government will depend on the
circumstance that applies. Aristotle did not talk of
Fascism-Totalitarianism
 WHAT IS DEMOCRACY?
a) The term democracy is rooted in two Greek
words:
“demo”= people
“cracy”= rule
• Compound word “democracia” literally means
– people’s rule.
b) Abraham Lincoln:
• Democracy is a government of the people, by
the people and for the pople
Weaknesses of the above meaning
• Too broad and vague
• Open to abuse (misinterpretation) e.g. who are
the people?(not everybody can rule)
• Unhelpful in practical situation
c) Contemporary descriptions:
• Democracy is described as a government in
which everybody participates, either directly or
indirectly, through representatives
• Where decisions and policies are made on the
consensus of the makeshift majority (not
majoritariarism)
Weakness of the above description
• Sometimes turn out to be majoritarianism
(tyranny of numbers)
• Promises everybody to participate and hence
benefits which is at times not tenable
• Assumes the existence of “collective” decision
and polices making by everybody when in
reality this task remains in the had of a few
individuals. Hence the need to understand
democracy from what maybe regards as
democrative principles (ideals)
3) DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES (IDEALS)
The following are usually regarded as
democratic principles (ideals) in some of the
contemporary views:
•Populism- what is prefered by majority (not the
same as opportunism, condescension and crowd
pleasing
•Respect of interest – involves the recognition
of mutual interest as a factor in social control
• Freedom of (interaction and expression)- this
can be between social groups or individuals –
it has t be permitted and encouraged because
it is the main source of change in social habits
thereby enhances common values
• Equal opportunity and Equity – every citizen
should be give equal opportunity to share
resources and experiences. There should be no
separation citizen into privileged and subject
class; superiors and inferiors. Humanity should
be treated as one humanity
• Respect of persons – this is usually expressed
in terms of human rights and justice for all.
Respect for individual freedom and choice are
some of the human rights. The list include
human dignity
• Commitment to the life of reason – Every
citizen should be encouraged to play active
part in the development of the state. This is
done through being tolerance and respectful
to every form of opinion irrespective of the
source
• Transparency and accountability – this
involves the promotion of openness and
readiness to account for any social (public)
undertakings etc.
NB:
• The above principles are quite often applied to show
how the rule of democracy should be governed
• They also show how social relations are governed
particularly by the commitment to the life of
freedom ,equality for all human beings within the
framework
• It however demonstrates that though freedom is a
principle in life it is reflected in individual liberties,
which has to be related to social liberties, thereby
denying right for absolute freedom.
 4) DEMOCRATIC CONCEPTION IN EDUCATION

• The democratic conception is rooted in a

philosophical pluralism. In philosophy
(metaphysics), pluralism is a doctrine
that there is more than one reality for
explaining things. Pluralism is used in
contrast with monism (one) and dualism
(limited to two realities)
• Democracy, being rooted in pragmatism is
associated with conceptual and cultural
relativism. That is why democratic conception
promotes the cultivation of diverse
personalities and cultures.
• Democratic conception promotes tolerance to
competing philosophies because of the
pragmatic belief that truth is not
predetermined. Rather it depends on utility
and what works in practice
Thus: democratic conception in education
is demonstrated in terms of:
• The demand that equality should be reflected with
impartiality so that no human being is perceived to be
less or more equal than the other in the provision of
education opportunities
• The principle of “universal moralism” according to
which there is a declaration that since there is only one
type of “man” (humanity) and two types of goods
(material and moral), no aspect of human life or
activity should be a special reserve only to some and
not to other person of the conceptualization of
education in terms universal moralism has resulted in
education declared as a human right
• The demand for moral education in school is
intended to make the human society becomes
more of a just community. This is based on the
assumption that if a society is to become a
just community, then it needs democratic
schools where the democratic principles are
practise. This was the dream of John Dewey.
• The aim of John Dewey’s dream was to bring
new innovations for empowering young
people to understand their social environment
with a view of transforming it
• Dewey’s understanding of politics is
articulated as a practical pursuit
requiring the practical intelligence and
“know-how” which can only be achieved
through relevant practice.
• Thus, the practice of politics of
distribution and exercise of power; of
questions on justice and fairness should
be appreciated through the involvement
of learners in real rather than in limited
ethical issues
Democratic practice should thus include:
• Respect of persons; pursuit of truth; tolerance
of dissent and of unpopular views as
challenges to orthodoxy; acceptance of
freedom of action and opinions where there is
no harm to others and concern for fairness in
the distribution of opportunities. All these
need to be nurtured from the earliest years so
that they become part of the very fabric of
teaching and learning
5) CHALLENGES TO DEMOCRATICE
PRACTICE IN EDUCATION
• The conflict between Nationalistic and
International (universal) aims of education
• Limitations in the understanding of
democratic principles (ideas) in which (to
some extent) there still remain farcical and
fragical delusion.
• The inclination towards subject-centered
curriculum in contrast to child-centred
curriculum.
• Existence of authotitarian schools and classroom
practices in which emphasis is on use of teacher
centred method.
• Emphasis on teacher training rather than teacher
education
• The view of political education in liberal sense is
incompatible with the management of education
in business terms. In business terms, the school
and classroom are arranged to be more
concerned with the coverage of syllabuses and
determined to achieve specific outcomes on
which they are judged. This style of school
management has little room (if any) for the
explorations of democratic challeges
• Democratic practice in education is thus in
danger of being the victim of the wrong
educational advocacy of business
management in which processes are related
to “product” viewed as ‘tightly defined
learning outcome’

NB:
If the above challenges are to be overcome,
then democracy has to be in two folds:
• As essentially Axiological, i.e. as a
value loaded concept with value
judgment message
• As ontological; i.e. a concept focusing
on actualize positive relationship
with positive understanding of their
meaning in life. Thus democracy has
to be nurtured as away of life.