Why democracy matters

November 05, 2012 at 04:41 AM
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To Rory Stewart, a member of British Parliament, democracy is about equality. "The point about democracy is not that it deliver legitimate, effective, prosperous rule of law. It's not that it guarantees peace with itself or with its neighbors. … Democracy matters because it reflects an idea of equality," Stewart said. If democracy is to be rebuilt, he says, the public must not only learn to trust their politicians, but for the politicians to learn to trust the public.