Path to Nation’s Prosperity: Democracy or Totalitarianism

Yahya Al-Yahya

Mr. Paul Saghbini

English 102

012 April 2016

Path to Nation’s Prosperity: Democracy or Totalitarianism

Democracy and Totalitarianism are two types of governments that are significantly different from each other. As Holman defined, “Democracy is a political system where the people are the source of sovereignty and power” (21). Totalitarianism is a form of government of single ruler how controls everything. Although, the two system are originated from a long time, but now democracy has been seen as the most prosperous system for the modern era, surpassing on totalitarianism in many aspects like: in an economy, freedom, human rights, efficiency of decisions.

Always, and on a large scale, the prosperity of the nations related to the freedom of their people. Victor Hugo give this meaning in Les Miserables, he stated that “Social prosperity means man happy, the citizen free, and the nation great”(575). When we come to talk about democracy and totalitarianism, the freedom is the first thing that comes to our minds. In democracy, “Government of the people, by the people, for the people” (Lincoln). Theoretical, this type of government allows the people to vote to elect rulers to govern on their behalf, this liberty brings happier and productive life. On the other hand, in the totalitarianism, the government ruled by a single person with complete power. In this form of government, the citizens’ will are not taking in the consideration. Even we could say that to totalitarianism is the regime where the public is committed to silence. Moreover, totalitarianism not only canceled the citizens’ rule to participate in making decisions but also restricts their freedom to some extent.

    One of the most essentials aspects ensuring a long-term prosperity is how to human rights are preserved; since everyone born free with his own rights in the life. “Respect for human Rights Brings Prosperity” (Rice). A Democratic regime, theoretically by its nature, preserves the conception of human rights for all its citizens. It is indeed the best political form that preserves human rights and thus ensuring a long-term prosperity and stability of the nation. On the contrary, totalitarianism is antithetical to the protection of human rights, and as Kumar states that, “Tend to insist on uniformity and obedience”( Kumar, 336). Thus, it subjects its citizens to the requirements and rules of the state – or the ruler- without taking human rights in considerations.

“Equality of opportunity is freedom, but equality of outcome is repressors” (Feagler). Both democracy and the totalitarianism raise two different perspectives of equality. All the citizens in a democratic system are equal in the rights and in making the decisions that will affect their lives. We can say that, in democratic system is a substantial value for, and it is a positive quality; because it flows with free will. On the other hand, the equality in totalitarian is represented as repression; because all the citizens are restricted equally either in their freedom or rights to some extent. This form of equality may be considered as a negative equality, because totalitarian limits equally the free will for its citizens.

Decisions making is all about efficiency. What makes a political system better than other in making the decision are the efficiency, wisdom of the decision will effect on the long-term. In the democracy, due to the majority rule, making decision takes a long time; because it must ensure a great likelihood from the citizens to that decision. Thus, this feature attributes to stabilizing of the democracy system by being more convenient to the people and unlikely to raise a rebellion. In contrast, the totalitarian system characterized by quick decisions; because the ruler is the only decision-maker, not like the democratic system where there are many decision-makers (congress, parliament..etc.).