What is the value of a state?
Leo Sterz
In this essay I will discuss the aspects of a state which people could argue add value. First, I will outline howwe in the UK came to have the systemof democracy that we do, then the various types of democracy in Europe. I will go on to discuss the moral framework around which governments could make decisions, and whether this is the correct way to do it. Finally, I will examine how justice is exacted in society, and whether this is of value. In the UK we have entrusted our government to politicians who make decisions on behalf of the population. An early version of this democratic system – or at least a limit on autocratic power – was first agreed at Runneymede on June 15 th 1215, by King John in the Magna Carta, where he was forced to sign away his autocratic power, and henceforth had to consult the rich aristocracy before he could make decisions; he also had to abide by the law like every citizen. John still had powers, unlike our monarchs today, who are only showpieces and sources of revenue. This shift away from a centralized powerhouse can be seen as adding value to the political climate, as it theoretically allowed for a more democratic country. In the UK today we have a representative democracy, also known as an indirect democracy, where elected officials represent a group of people: more specifically the UK is a unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy. In Switzerland, however, they have a direct democracy, with deliberative and participatory elements; they have more thickly applied referendums compared to the UK. In Switzerland people can apply to ‘deliberate’ over laws and legislation, campaigning to change them. In the majority of western-style democracies, there is a presidential system of government and a parliamentary one, with a lower chamber such as the House of Commons, which is restrained by an upper chamber. This is a systemof polyarchy. In the UK we vote for representatives (MPs), thoughmany would say that they vote for a party. The prime minister is not elected as such, as the President of the United States is elected President, but is the leader chosen by their party and, by convention, chosen by the monarch to form a government. The Weimar Republic, 1919-1933, was arguably one of the most democratic republics in the last century, with universal suffrage, no matter income or sex. It had a parliamentary democracy with a proportionally representative system: this meant that every vote did count; the votes were counted across Germany not just in individual counties. This, however, was also its downfall, as it meant extremists could gain power. This idea of a democracy is seen by many as valuable but is limited in its scope for collective decision making. First and foremost, the idea of a representative government, or a leader at all, comes from the notion that it is impractical to involve everyone in government. But this is also common sense, as people need to do their jobs, and cannot possibly dedicate sufficient time to finding out enough about politics to make well informed decisions. Making decisions is arguably the most significant responsibility of a government; how they should make these is a crucial question, as well as deciding whether the outcome is moral or not. A utilitarian approach, as outlined by John Stuart Mill, would make the case that a moral decision is one which creates the most happiness for the most people, and Jeremy Bentham’s interpretation also takes into account the happiness and wellbeing of animals in the felicific calculus. Another option is duty-based decision-making, where politicians follow their duty to
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