The Ideal of Democracy and its Justification of Power

In this chapter, they discuss the different views on the purpose and justification of democracy. One perspective sees democracy as a minimal system that keeps the peace and allows for negotiation between rivals for power. However, the speaker believes democracy should be more than that. They argue that the core of democracy is to justify power in a way that is accepted by both those in power and those being ruled. They also explore the idea that the ideal of democracy is for the exercise of power to belong to the same people, but acknowledge that there will always be a gap between rulers and the ruled. The chapter concludes with the notion that the gap should be minimized to the point of eventual disappearing, allowing individuals to have control over their political lives and be the authors of the laws they are subjected to.