Democracy
dɪˈmɒkrəsi/
noun
a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.
The basic idea behind arming the people has been for them to fight off a tyrannical government, but the purpose of democracy is to maintain peace and sanctity of a country through free and fair, open elections. People voice their opinion through peace and the privileges afforded to them by the country’s constitution. In a sound democracy, there must be –
Free and fair, open elections
Discussion and deliberation on policies and legislation
The right of the citizens to find out the working of the various departments of the government
This ensures a mechanism by which people can hold the government accountable for its actions, and seek a transparent and responsive government. If these facilities are provided to the people, It gives them several methods and mechanisms to find against a tyrannical government, all while maintaining the sanctity of the institution called democracy.
It is true that democracy and democratic governments are riddled with loopholes which can be exploited by fascist leaders, the most infamous one being Adolf Hitler’s rise to power but other incidents like Indira Gandhi’s emergency during 1975-77 followed by her public rejection (in the next election) showed that a sound democracy has mechanisms in place which always give the power back to the people. What’s interesting to note here is that the people’s movement to restore democracy after the emergency did not take place by taking up arms but instead, by embracing the democratic practices of protests, agitations, and resolutions.
Guns, on the other hand, are more apt for conflict-ridden countries. Where dictators rise up frequently, oppressing and suppressing people using inhumane techniques are countries where arming the commoners might seem logical, but in sophisticated democracies like the United States, it seems regressive. What’s ironic about it is the fact that the 2nd amendment (to the American constitution, which allows citizens to bear arms) was adopted 227 years ago soon after the Americans fought off the British, but over the years the American democracy has evolved leaps and bounds.
The idea behind needing guns in a strong democracy is untenable but where and how do we draw the line between a strong and a weak democracy?
