Kristin's comments on my AWB WMD post made me think about the government not liking what people have to say.

Here in Australia, we have a democracy. Democracy came to us from the ancient Greeks in Athens, and the word itself comes from the words δημοκρατία (demokratia), δημος (demos) the common people and κρατειν (kratein) to rule + the suffix ία (ia), literally "the common people rule."

All Athenian citizens were free to vote and speak in the Assembly. Sure, they didn't have it perfect then, not allowing women, slaves or non-residents to vote, but they were on the way to having some good ideas about the way governments should work.

Modern-day democracy is about you. It's about me. It's about the person next to you. The people you see in the streets. Working for all of us and our common good. The old by the people for the people thing. The society controls the government, not the other way around. A democratic government is in place to serve the people.

Of course, there are some constrained freedoms that are there to make sure that the public good is furthered. We have laws and don't run around being anarchists or whatever.

As a consequence, laws and policies should be based on what the citizens of the democracy want and need. Leaders in politics should make arguments for their cases, listen to those of others who oppose them and make changes as or where necessary, rather than just ploughing along regardless. I mean, take, for example, the huge protests and majority public objection to the Australian participation in the invasion of Iraq. The Prime Minister said that those who objected were "unAustralian" and that they didn't know what was good for them.

We're not China with no real democracy (where I'd already be in a labour camp for expressing political thoughts and being a Christian, where I could make nice Christmas lights for you all), and we do have a lot of freedoms. However, it's seeming to be silly that the current government doesn't seem to like people expressing opinions that are contrary to their own.

Of course, we're not going to like what every single person we meet has to say. This is just a fact of life. But it's important that people are allowed to have a voice, even if it's just so that discussions can be had, growth can be made and so on.

"The governors have nothing to support them but opinion. It is therefore on opinion only that the government is founded; and this maxim extends to the most despotic and most military governments. The emperor of Rome might drive his subjects against their sentiments and inclinations. But he must at least have led his praetorian bands like men, by their opinion." - David Hume, Essays, Essay 4: "Of the First Principles of Government.

Our opinions should count more to the government in power. After all, they're the things that are actually keeping them in power for the time that they are in.