We live in a world where the violence of wars and the ineffectiveness of governments and international organisations working for peace create the feeling that nothing is working to achieve it.
Despite this reality, the defence of human dignity as a fundamental value and participation in public affairs to improve our society must continue, if possible, with greater impetus and tenacity, with realism and optimism.
When people engage in collective projects in contact with others, sharing enthusiasm and hope for overcoming difficulties, progress is made on a personal and group level.
Democracy is not at its best, and one of the reasons it is not at its best is that some of the decisions that govern the world depend on powers that are not based on democratic decisions but on the law of the strongest. These decisions generate discouragement and mistrust among those of us who believe in the power of democracy.
Democratic positions that respect human dignity respect the rights of all the people they affect. They certainly have the support of the majority a priori, but they are not always the ones that decide.
History shows us that democracy—which obviously lacks the quality we aspire to—is weak and fragile. But let us be aware that we have not always lived in a democracy and that it is very easy to lose it. Democracy is a good and a value to cherish and fight for. Let us look at how we manage public affairs and commit ourselves not only to denouncing but also to defending something as basic and fundamental as human life.
Are they honest and respectful of human dignity and democratic values, and do they create spaces and role models in line with values related to human dignity and respect?
These are ways and values that affect many countries, areas and contexts, such as immigration, inequalities, non-discrimination... We cannot shirk our civic responsibility in this regard. That is why people's participation in decisions that affect the common good is fundamental, and so is training for it.
Participation is learned by training, that is, by participating. And like all training, it is best to start early. Childhood and adolescence are stages where participation, if it is authentic and influences the reality around us, generates confidence, informs us that we can change things and our world, and makes us more capable of making progress in improving society. Let us take an interest and learn to analyse reality - close or not so close - let us identify the weakest and also the strongest aspects of our society and contribute to its improvement through individual and collective action.
It’s a very good article about democracy. We all should respect democracy