A MANIFESTO OF LIBERAL DEMOCRACY
DEMOCRACY • LAW • MARKETS
0.01 Liberal democracy is a system of government that promotes the liberty of each person.
(a) Liberty means each person can make their own choices, think and say what they want, be protected by the law, choose their work, and participate in free markets. Liberty means people can live the kind of lives they value.
(b) A liberal democracy uses institutions and processes to increase liberty.
0.02 Liberalism is the philosophy of liberal democracy.
(a) Liberalism believes that the liberty of each person is the goal of a society, and that this goal is accomplished by increasing economic, political, and social freedoms.
(b) Economic, political, and social freedoms reinforce one another.
(c) Liberalism believes societies improve through constant debate and reform.
(d) Liberalism is practical and adaptable.
(e) Liberalism promotes policies based on evidence, not ideology.
(f) Liberalism balances each person’s right to do what they want with social needs and rights with responsibilities.
0.03 Liberal democracy is the best system of government for providing freedom, security, and prosperity.
0.04 The principles of liberal democracy should be understood and promoted.
(a) Despite the successes of liberal democracy, it is often criticized, including by people who benefit from living in a liberal democracy.
(b) Liberalism can be difficult to define, explain, and apply.
(c) The first principle of liberalism is the right to promote new ideas. This is liberalism’s strength because it accepts good ideas regardless of where they come from. It is also liberalism’s weakness because the right to promote new ideas can be abused to attack good institutions and processes. Unless most of the people in a society value liberal democracy, debate can lead to conflict instead of reform.
(d) Some people will be willing to sacrifice liberal institutions and processes to obtain personal power. Powerful people seek to shelter themselves from reforms. People promoting liberal democracy must be aware of these tendencies.
0.05 Different liberal democracies make different policy choices in areas such as taxes, helping the poor, health care, education, national defense, environmental regulation, criminal justice, and so on.
1. DEMOCRACY
1.01 The institutions and processes of democracy determine what should be done to promote the good of the people.
1.02 Government power is divided and separated so that different functions are done by different officers and bodies. Power is prevented from consolidating. No person or body has power to exercise all government power.
(a) Each officer or body acts within its role and does not interfere with the functions of others.
(b) The separation of legislative, executive, and judicial functions has been effective.
(c) Government power may be divided between a national government and state, provincial or regional governments.
1.03 The people select government officers through elections.
(a) Election processes are fair, easy to understand, open to review, and efficient.
(b) Voters may vote for the candidate of their choice.
(c) Candidates for a government office are not attacked or intimidated by the government and the government protects them from attacks or intimidation by others.
(d) Votes are counted accurately, and the correct results are reported.
(e) The results of elections are respected.
(f) Each adult citizen can vote. Each vote is equal.
1.04 Elected officers are accountable to the people. Elected officers are loyal to those whom they represent, work hard, avoid conflicts of interest, do not seek to profit personally from their office, and provide accurate information to the people.
1.05 People may form and join political parties.
1.06 Government tasks may be done by officers and employees who are not elected.
(a) Government officers and employees who are not elected are accountable to elected officers.
(b) Government employees are trained, managed, and have resources to provide services efficiently and effectively.
(c) Government employees are paid by the government.
(d) People who seek government appointments or to provide goods or services to the government have an equal opportunity.
(e) Government officers and employees do not favor their supporters, friends, or family members when making appointments, providing government services, or purchasing goods or services.
1.07 Military power is exercised for the benefit of the people.
(a) The role of the military is defined by the constitution.
(b) The military is controlled by elected officers.
(c) The organization and operation of the military is governed by law.
(d) The military is politically neutral and non-partisan.
1.08 Relationships between nations are based on liberal principles.
(a) Nations recognize the sovereignty of other nations.
(b) Liberal democracies encourage other nations to develop the institutions and processes of liberal democracy.
2. THE RULE OF LAW
2.01 Society is governed by written laws.
(a) The rule of law contrasts with the rule by individuals, in which a person or group exercises power that is not limited by the law.
(b) Legal rights, not power, are absolute.
(c) Government power is used only as authorized by written laws.
(d) Everyone obeys the law. Even a president, prime minister, or other leader obeys the law.
2.02 Every person is treated fairly, equally, and justly by the law, the government, the courts, and society.
(a) The law makes distinctions between people only to promote liberty, justice, or equality.
(b) The law does not discriminate based on sex, race, color, ethnicity, religion, disability, or other characteristics except to promote liberty, justice, or equality.
(c) No one is above the law and no one is below the protection of the law.
2.03 A constitution or basic law states the rules and processes of government.
(a) Laws are created by the legislative body through a formal process, usually by a majority vote.
(b) Laws and the government promote individual liberty.
2.04 Each person may believe in, live by, and promote a religion, system of belief, moral framework, or academic idea.
2.05 Everyone has the right free speech. New ideas, new evidence, and debate are necessary to improve society. The right to free speech is almost absolute. The law limits speech only when it is likely to cause immediate, serious harm.
2.06 Journalists are free to report about any officer, candidate, political party, issue, or event. Governments and government officers do not intentionally spread misinformation.
2.07 People can own, buy, sell, and use property.
(a) There is a system for reliably determining the owners of land.
(b) The government does not take property without paying the value of the property to the person it is taken from.
2.08 Everyone has a right to move freely and to choose where to live.
2.09 Courts decide how the law applies to the facts.
(a) Courts use processes that are clearly defined and available to everyone.
(b) Facts are determined based on reliable evidence.
(c) Judges are protected from political and personal consequences for their official actions.
(d) Decisions of lower courts may be appealed.
2.10 Relationships between nations are based on the rule of law and other principles of liberal democracy.
3. MARKETS
3.01 In a market economy, everyone has the freedom to make their own economic decisions. The government creates, watches, and adjusts markets to make sure they work correctly.
(a) Markets promote good political and social results, not just good economic results, because people have liberty.
(b) Everyone has equal economic opportunity. Economic competition is fair.
(c) The government does not decide who will succeed.
(d) Prices are set based on the principles of supply and demand.
(e) People may seek to increase their wealth. Increased wealth allows people to enjoy increased liberty.
(f) People in poverty lack of many kinds of liberty. Governments and others take steps to prevent and fix poverty.
3.02 Money is an accepted form of payment. Money allows people to make choices about what is most important to them.
3.03 Everyone is free to make decisions about their production and consumption of goods and services.
(a) A person may choose which goods or services to produce. A person may use the goods and services they produce or sell them to others for money.
(b) People have a right to work for their own benefit. People can refuse terms of employment offered by an employer, quit employment, and accept new employment. The law prevents slavery and other forms of involuntary labor.
(c) Workers may form unions to set wages and working conditions. Unions are organized and governed based on liberal principles.
3.04 People may create organizations to pursue business activities together.
(a) People who invest money in a business organization do not pay the debts of the organization.
(b) Creating a business organization is simple, does not take a long time, and costs little money.
3.05 Free basic education is available for every person.
(a) Education is a benefit to society, not just those being educated.
(b) Democracy requires voters to be educated, particularly about the government, institutions, democracy, the rule of law, and markets.
(c) Education increases liberty by allowing people to participate in economic, social, and political activities.
3.06 Basic health care is available for every person. Health care is a benefit to society, not just those receiving health care. Health care increases liberty by allowing people to participate in economic, social, and political activities.
3.07 People can access and understand financial services.
(a) Banks allow people to save and protect money. Banks use deposits to lend money to borrowers based on the ability to repay the debt.
(b) Financial markets are free, efficient, and well-regulated. People can rely on the information they need to make decisions about investing money.
(c) People can move money across country boundaries.
3.08 Trade between countries increases peace between them and has economic benefits for both countries.