“That is why a thinker like Thoreau said that ‘that government is the best which governs the least.’ This means that when people come into possession of political power, the interference with the freedom of people is reduced to a minimum. In other words, a nation that runs its affairs smoothly and effectively without much State interference is truly democratic. Where such a condition is absent, the form of government is democratic in name.”
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Real self-rule shows up as the absence of force: when people manage their shared affairs responsibly, rulers barely need to step in. The health of a democracy isn't measured by its machinery but by how little coercion its citizens actually require to live together well.
When to use it
- A small team ships good work with almost no rules because each member owns their part responsibly.
- A shared house stays clean without a chore chart because everyone tidies up after themselves.
- A neighborhood keeps its park in good shape through habit, so the city rarely has to send inspectors.