World History as

the
Story of Democracy
Reynald Trillana * Executive Director * PCCED * @reytrillana

The Story of Democracy

Political institutions are transmitted across time culturally
and are subject to intentional design.
Democracy, like all other human inventions, has a history.
Democratic values and institutions are never set in
stone; even the meaning of democracy changes through
time.

Embedding Civic Knowledge in

World History
SUBJECT CONTENT

DISCUSSION POINTS

I. Heograpiya ng Daigdig
Ang Pagsisimula ng mga Kabihasnan
sa Daigdig

How transition from huntinggathering societies to tribal

societies established social
organization/political order
The necessity of politics and
government

II. Pag-usbong at Pag-unlad ng mga

Klasikong Lipunan sa Europa

The ideals of classical democracy.

The democratic values of political
equality, participation, and
deliberation.
Republicanism/Representation
Mixed Constitution/Separation of

Embedding Civic Knowledge in

World History
SUBJECT CONTENT

DISCUSSION POINTS

Ang Daigdig sa Panahon ng

Transisyon

The disappearance of democracy

Feudalism; Absolute government

Paglakas ng Europa

The Rise of Liberal Democracy

Capitalism

Ang Unang Digmaang Pandaigdig

Ikalawang Digmaang Pandaigdig

The waves of democratization

The Necessity of Politics and

Government
HuntingGathering
Nomadic
Family/Bandlevel
Tyranny of
cousins
Leadership
based on
consensus;
strength,
intelligence

Agriculture
Tribes, Clans,
higher density
Weak
centralized
source of
authority
Role of
religion
Emergence of
warrior class

Warfare
States
Administrative
capacities
Monopoly of
the legitimate
use of
violence

RETHINKING POLITICS

the process and activity of ruling complex

societies without the use of undue violence.

It has the humanizing and civilizing task of

resolving conflicts

Classical Democracy

Athenian population---250,000
30,000 on average were citizens - the adult
males of Athenian birth and full status
5,000 might regularly attend about 40
meetings of the popular Assembly (ecclesia)

The Ideals of Democracy

Pericles Funeral Oration (431 BC):

Our constitution is called a democracy because

power is in the hands not of a minority, but of
the whole people. No one, so long as he has it
in him to be of service to the state, is kept in
political obscurity because of poverty . . .

The Ideals of Democracy

Here each individual is interested not only in

his own affairs but in the affairs of the state
as well: this is a peculiarity of ours: we do
not say that a man who takes no interest in
politics is a man who minds his own
business; we say that he has no business
here at all.

The Ideals of Democracy

We Athenians, in our own persons, take our

decisions on policy or submit them to proper
discussions: for we do not think that there is
an incompatibility between words and
deeds; the worst thing is to rush into action
before the consequences have been
properly debated.

Ideals of Democracy
Political equality
Citizen participation
Deliberation

The Romans and Republicanism

People would elect representatives from their own

areas, and these representatives would be members of
a larger body which would govern the entire society
Correspondence between the acts of the government
and the interest of the governed

Mixed Constitutions=Separation of
Powers

Senate
Patricians

Popular
Assemblies
Plebians

Consuls
Monarch
s

The Disappearance of Democracy

Dismissal of the viability of

democracy as a political form
Feudalism and Absolute Rule

Capitalism Rises, Democracy

Reappears

In the 17th century, 80% of Europeans lived in

communities of under 3,000 people, rural
communities without much contact beyond their vicinity.
Its economy, culture and politics were basically
subsistence and parochial.

Capitalism Rises, Democracy

Reappears
The discovery of the
New World in 1492
The development of
European interests in
India and Africa, and
The sudden
opportunities that
offered for capital
profits on a grand scale

Europeans started to
become rich, very
rich. A vastly
accelerating trade
resulted in the
creation of a
robust middle
class; and the rise
of cities.

Capitalism Rises, Democracy

Reappears
Those that are considerably wealthy
did not possess political power
No taxation without
representation

Ideals of Liberal Democracy

Elections that are reasonably fair, and free.
A set of rights such as freedom of expression, of
speech, of association, of information, of religion,
and the right to property

Rule of law
Constitutionalism

Rule of Law

a principle of governance in which all persons,

institutions and entities, public and private, including
the State itself, are accountable to laws that are
publicly promulgated, equally enforced and
independently adjudicated, and which are consistent
with international human rights norms and standards

Rule of Law
It requires, as well, measures to ensure adherence to
the principles of supremacy of law, equality
before the law, accountability to the law, fairness
in the application of the law, separation of
powers, participation in decision-making, legal
certainty, avoidance of arbitrariness and procedural
and legal transparency." (United Nations, 2004)

Constitutionalism

Constitutions limit the powers of government

1. Establishing, defining, distributing the
powers of government
2. Bill of rights
3. Power of amendment

Summing Up

Greek
Political
Equality
Participation
Deliberation

Romans
Representatio
n
Separation of
Powers

18th C Europe
Elections
Civil/Political
Rights
Rule of Law

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The Story of Democracy

Disillusioned Democrats
Kenneth Newton and Pippa Norris, for
example, found out that of all 17 nations
surveyed, all public institutions in these
countries suffered considerable declines in
the way people trust them.

A Strong Democracy
a modern form of participatory democracy
that rests on the idea of a self-governing
community of citizens united by civic
education and who are made capable of
common purpose and mutual action by
virtue of their civic attitudes.
Benjamin Barber