Democracy Has Nothing to Do with Truth

Lily of the valley bush Botanical name: Pieris japonica Poisonous plant---Grayanotoxin in leaves, which makes horses as if drunk

This essay examines democracy not as a moral ideal, but as a procedural mechanism—and questions the widespread tendency to confuse majority rule with truth or virtue.

Democracy may appear as nothing but evil to those whose mental framework acknowledges an existence beyond reason—an existence regarded as sacred, absolute, and awe-inspiring.

Such an existence cannot be determined by majority vote, because it does not derive its authority from the collective will of individuals, whether directly or indirectly expressed.

Democracy, at its core, is the idea that sovereign power resides in the people, and that governance—decisions that directly or indirectly affect every individual—is based on the people’s consensus. There are, of course, many interpretations of this concept.

By “consensus,” however, I do not mean unanimity in the dictionary sense. Rather, consensus in a democracy means that those who oppose a decision nevertheless accept and abide by the outcome of a majority vote. I believe this to be a fundamental principle without which democracy cannot function.

Even a decision supported by only 51 percent of the population must be followed by the remaining 49 percent. If this does not occur, democracy collapses from within—because, in effect, no decision can truly be made.

In this sense, every democratic decision must ultimately result in consensus.

Some may argue that this sounds indistinguishable from totalitarianism, since in both systems everyone is required to follow decisions once they are made. The crucial difference lies in the decision-making process.

Yet even this distinction becomes fragile if a large portion of the population is conditioned to think in a totalitarian manner. What appears superficially as democracy can, in practice, degenerate into a totalitarian state.

Democracy, then, is merely a process—a method of decision-making in which outcomes are determined by majority vote reflecting individual will. It offers no guarantee whatsoever that the decisions it produces are correct, just, or good.

Many people insist that “respect for minority opinions” defines true democracy. This, however, is a serious mistake, born of an attempt to endow democracy with quasi-religious values.

It is worth noting that few religions in history have genuinely respected minorities; on the contrary, many have persecuted them as heretics.

Respecting minority opinions is not inherent in democracy. It is itself a policy choice—one that must be decided by majority vote.

Democracy has nothing to do with truth.