Republic of the Philippines

State Universities and Colleges

GUIMARAS STATE COLLEGE
GRADUATE SCHOOL
Buenavista, Guimaras

ED 214 – PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

ELMAR P. ACEBUQUE
M.Ed – SOC. SCI DR. WILSON TOSINO
MAISIE KATE V. RIZARDO Professor
M.Ed – FILIPINO
Discussants

DEMOCRACY

It evolves from the ancient times of Aristotle probably as the most appropriate form of government
where people may achieve happiness through moderation.

Today, democracy has worked in varying forms and substance. It is believed that democracy, as a
power comes not from the barrel of a gun, but from the people.

 For the word itself is derived the Greek “demos” (the people) and “kratein” (to rule) and the
French word “democratie” as well as the late Latin “democratia.”
 In modern times, democracy is form of government where there exists the rule of the people
indirectly through chosen representatives.
 In a democratic society, the grant of a universal right of suffrage, civil liberties and freedom,
among other manifestations are living institutional mechanism that mobilize people’s
participation in the whole gamut of political processes.
 Probably, the word democracy is the most popular and the most used word in political science.
Democracy has a root in Athens, Greece. Between 461 and 332 BC, Athens was the pioneering
city-states of ancient Greece, and also the great Aristotle characterized early democracy in his
thesis, The Polis (The Politics Books VI), “as each to rule and be ruled in turn”.
 People’s assembly in Athens, which was called ekklesia was a potent symbol provided the
archetype of direct democracy, where any citizen of qualified age may attend assembly
sessions, but the assembly was rather limited in the sense that participation was remote.
 Still the scope of Athenians democracy was wide, and it was broad. There were executive
councils, and people’s court (juries) aside from the assembly. Democracy was meant to develop
and enhance the peoples’ capabilities vis-à-vis the city-state. In fact, it was the Athenians who
coined the words citizens- as opposed to subjects.
 Today, the democratic world is ever increasing. Since 1970s the number of democratic societies
had doubled while totalitarian regimes gradually collapse.
 The publication of the ever-famous George Orwell all the more brought enough enlightenment
to authoritarian citizens. He portrayed a life under a typical totalitarian regime. He revealed how
government spy on the people, peep into their homes, denied individuals basic freedoms and
rights. Private lives where under surveillance and more.
 FEATURE OF DEMOCRACY

Democracy means “ruled by the people”. Democracy is a form of government in which the people
ruled themselves, directly or indirectly, in view to consolidate and protect their interest in a larger
community. But democracy is both an ideal and aspiration.

 Political Equality - this democratic feature of political equality advocates the notions that
political power is equally distributed as widely and as evenly as possible among the people that
everyone is equally able to participate in government, to compete freely for public office, and all
voices considered equally loud. People regardless of any distinction enjoy political right under
the principle of “one person one vote”.
 Popular Representation - in representative democracies, people chose through elections
their representatives in Parliament/ Assembly to serve and protect their interests. A
representative democracy is a limited and indirect form of democracy based on the selection of
those who will govern on behalf of the people.
 Majority Rule - democracy is always the rule of the people or the rule by the majority.
Majority decides on all popular issues, including elections. The greatest good for the greatest
number of citizens should generally be the policy of the government to reckon with. This is
Athenian democracy. But while majority rules, government also protects the interests and the
rights of the least or the minority in all of its undertakings. Majority rule should not prejudice
the minorities, if so; the ruled of majority becomes the “tyranny of majority”.
 Freedom of Mass Media - the extent of democratic practice in a country may be seen on how
free its press is. The press is very important in democracies they keep the people politically
aware, raise public awareness, and report opinions of the people to keep leaders and politicians
responsive to their clamors and sympathies. The presence of press freedom reveals the abuses
and curtails the injusticies of the government. As one author writess, “press or the mass media
stand guard as the fourth branch of government”
 People Consultation - the government effectively, leaders should always conduct public
hearings, for a and consultations among cross sections of the society and be responsive to their
needs and demands. Public opinions polls are essential to working democracy, they bring to
government the general sentiments they wish to be addressed or bring across the government
their feelings and moos as regrads issues and controversies, which leaders could not just ,
ignore . Opinions held by the public are so potent instruments of public officials;’ accountability.

COMMUNISM

Communism as a political ideology promotes communal ownership and establishes classless society.
Plato in his Republik developed the idea of communism as the ideal form of government, which was
espoused later on by Marx, Engels, Lenin, Mao and Castro in recent times.This ideology is very much
antagonistic to the ideology of capitalism.

 Capitalism advocates for the free enterprise and individual effort with minimal state’s restriction.
While communism suppresses individual freedom and encourages a political ideology where
ownership of land, capital, property and industry belongs to the society, with people (working
class) sharing (disproportionately) from the products of the labor.
 The former USSR was the chief proponent of communism and under the iron rule of dictator
Josef Stalin gained worldwide recognition as one of the three superpowers of the world – The
 United States and Great Britain being the other two. With the combined forces of those three
powers during the World War II, Germany was brought down to its knees in total defeat.
 Russia today is nursing the fantastic ambition to conquer and embrace the rest of the world into
its communistic ideology. As a matter of fact Russia has many communist satellites in Eastern
Europe (before), and only the United States, England and the rest of the free world stood on its
way in the realization of its dream of “one world-one ideology”-- Communism
 Communist State are those political systems in which the Communist Party monopolized power
on the principle of “democratic centralism”, leading to an all encompassing bureaucratic state.
In theory, the object was to implement Marx’s vision of classless society that wealth is owned in
common, production was geared to maximizing human wants and needs, and the state shall
“wither away” allowing for spontaneous harmony and self realization.
 Thus, Marxism is the official ideology. In practice the party sought to protect its position
through complete control of society.
 Communism is a totalitarian of the extreme left, which is intensely independent, militarist and
nationalist. It emphasizes superiority of a particular class– the proletariat. It came from a pre-
industrial environment, that is, it grows out from an economically backward society– contrary to
Marx prediction.
 Backward Russia and China become communists before both become industrial countries. So
communism aims to industrialize and democratize a backward and undemocratic society by
championing the cause of the working class.

FACISM

Is a political ideology with a strong centralized power, permitting to opposition or criticism against the
constituted government, controlling all the affairs of the nation, emphasizing an aggressive nationalism
and anti-communism (Webster).

 In 1922, fascism came as a government system through Benito Mussolini of Italy. Strong man
Mussolini allied with Adolf Hitler of Germany in propagating extreme nationalism through
advancing their borders to cover Europe but both leaders succumbed to defeat while Mussolini
was shot dead, Hitler committed suicide before his capture.
 Fascism encourages racism, the conflicting philosophy between race superiority and race
mediocrity, under a totalitarian government system led by a strong ruler who promotes
nationalism for both national pride and honor and international recognition. The development
and success of fascism is largely dependent on the national consensus of the people.
 To persuade the people into total submission to the leaders requires unquestionable charismatic
appeal that as a totalitarian ruler he possesses a resounding stance on national issues with
infallible decision making qualities with which the followers render untainted obedience.
 Fascism heartens further the wisdom of a leader to rationalize any controversy in the interest of
the collective race which is so determined by securing a strong consensus from the people he
lead and to pursue what the totalitarian regime may have in its racist agenda. Fascism was
shaped during WWI until several years after WWII.
 Political norms such as equality, freedom and rationalism were toppled in the name of power,
heroism, struggle, war and leadership. In gist fascism is anti-liberalism, anti-capitalism, anti-
communism, and so on. The fascist philosophical ideology introduces a new man, “a hero
motivate by duty, honor, self sacrifice, prepared to dedicate his life to the glory of his nation or
race, and to give unquestioning obedience to a supreme leaders”.