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An Ethical Interpretation of Democracy. Claes Gosta Ryn Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

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An Ethical Interpretation of Democracy. Claes Gosta Ryn Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1974 An Ethical Interpretation of Democracy. Claes Gosta Ryn Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Ryn, Claes Gosta, "An Ethical Interpretation of Democracy." (1974). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 2759. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/2759 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This material was produced from a microfilm copy of the original document. While the most advanced technological means to photograph and reproduce this document have been used, the quality is heavily dependent upon the quality of the original submitted. The following explanation of techniques is provided to help you understand markings or patterns which may appear on this reproduction. 1. The sign or "target" for pages apparently lacking from the document photographed is "Missing Page(s)". If it was possible to obtain the missing page(s) or section, they are spliced into the film along with adjacent pages. This may have necessitated cutting thru an image and duplicating adjacent pages to insure you complete continuity. 2. When an image on the film is obliterated with a large round black mark, it is an indication that the photographer suspected that the copy may have moved during exposure and thus cause a blurred image. 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Xerox University Microfilms 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 75-14,282 J 3 RYN, Claes Gbsta, 1943- j AN ETHICAL INTERPRETATION OF DEMOCRACY. j ji The Louisiana State University and Agricultural I and Mechanical College, Ph.D., 1974 ! P olitical Science, general i Xerox University Microfilms,Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 0 1975 CLAES GOSTA RYN ALL RIGHTS RESERVED THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. AN ETHICAL INTERPRETATION OF DEMOCRACY A DISSERTATION Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Political Science by Claes G. Ryn Fil.lcand., Uppsala University, 1967 December, 1974 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the mem­ bers of my Doctoral Committee, Dr. Rene de Visme Williamson, Dr. Cecil Eubanks, Dr. Paul Grosser, Dr. Peter Zwick, and Dr. Charles Bigger. Through their many valuable criticisms and suggestions they have greatly improved the quality of this dissertation. Although some of them have disagreed with some of my premises, and perhaps even felt a certain incredulity at times, they have shown me every kindness and consideration. 1 am especially grateful to the Committee Chairman, Professor Williamson, who has given so generously of his time and wisdom and personal warmth. I am forever in his debt for guidance, encouragement, and companionship. To Dr. Polke Leander, a great teacher and philosopher and also my friend, go my deep-felt thanks for innumerable contribu­ tions to my intellectual development and to the clarifica­ tion of philosophical problems which figure prominently in this dissertation. Dr. Evert Vedung read parts of the manuscript and offered helpful comments, for which X am grateful. For the shortcomings of the dissertation I alone must bear the blame. There is no way that I could adequately express my deep gratitude to Louisiana State University and its Depart ment of Political Science for extending to me, a foreign national, the outstanding privilege of three years of finan cially supported education and research. I thank my wife, Marianne. Her loving support and personal sacrifice have meant everything. Baton Rouge August 1974 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...................................... ii ABSTRACT.............................................. vi CHAPTER I. DEMOCRACY AS AN ETHICO-PHILOSOPHICAL PROBLEM . 1 Democracy in an ethical perspective .......... 7 Democracy as a way of life . ■................... 17 Morality and self-interest .................... 22 Spiritual man and the scientific method .... 30 Human self-awareness............................ 43 The human frame of reference.................. 5 1 II. THE ETHICAL LIFE ................................ 63 The duality of human nature .................. 67 The logic of par tic ipation...................... 73 The higher and the lower s e l f .................. 75 Ethical conscience as a, principle of censure and a sense of p u r p o s e ...................... 85 The paradox of moral freedom.................... 90 Morality as h a p p i n e s s .......................... 94 The ethics of community ........... 101 The ethical life and tradition................. 109 III. ROUSSEAU'S "GENERAL WILL": MORAL FACT OR UTOPIAN FICTION?...........................114 Rousseau the man and the t h i n k e r ................ 121 The state of n a t u r e .............................128 Morality or s l a v e r y ....................... .. 136 The rebirth of natural freedom................ 140 Individualistic collectivism ................... 147 The general will and representation ............ 151 The rejection of constitutionalism.............. 161 , The spontaneity of the moral w i l l .............. 168 The Unity of the S t a t e ...........................176 Nationalism and military virtue ............... 180 Utopian dreams and harsh realities ............. 186 IV. THE ETHICS OF CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY.......... 195 The American Constitution ..................... 195 The idea of popular sovereignty ................ 203 Constitutionalism and ethical conscience . * 211 Constitutionalism vs. plebiscitary impatience. 232 Democracy, leadership, and culture . ........... 248 BIBLIOGRAPHY OF CITED W O R K S ...........................256 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................... 262 VITA AN ETHICAL INTERPRETATION OF DEMOCRACY ABSTRACT Viewing democracy in the light of an ethico- philosophical understanding of human nature and politics, this study develops a theory of how popular government can be made compatible with the needs of the ethical life. The hypothesis is that constitutional democracy, as distinguished from plebiscitary democracy, is potentially supportive of man's moral destiny. A "procedural" definition of popular rule is rejected, because it evades the fundamental moral question. Crit­ icism is also directed against an exclusive reliance on "empirical" evidence in the study of politics. An approach is adopted which recognizes politics as essentially a form of symbolical and spiritual activity calling for methods of explanation quite different from those employed in the nat­ ural sciences. An ethical philosophy is developed which draws heav­ ily on Plato and Aristotle, Irving Babbitt and Paul Elmer More. The notion of plebiscitary democracy is examined through an analysis of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's idea of the general will. The American Constitution is used to illustrate the concept of constitutional democracy. The content and conclusions of the dissertation may be summarized as follows. vi Ethical conscience can be defined as consciousness of the Good. It is never identical to particular inclina­ tions to act# but orders them from without. Human life is a dual awareness of imperfection and transcendent perfection. To the extent that men affirm the latter by disciplining their impulsive life, they build into their characters a certain meaningful purpose attended by happiness, in Aristotle's sense. To the same extent, they become capable of community with others. The realization of this supreme value is dependent on assimilation and creative development of cultural tradition. Rousseau bans constitutional restrictions on the majority of the moment. Basing his theory of democracy on a belief in the goodness of human nature, he envisions identity between morality and politics. It can be achieved through a social contract. But he confuses the ethical with uninhibited spontaneity, a mistake which translates into a belief in the goodness of the uninhibited popular majority. Rousseau1s conception of democracy ignores the unavoidable presence in human life of non-moral motives. An attempt to put his teaching into effect would reveal the
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