Among its German supporters is numbered one of
the most eminent political thinkers in Germany, who is also a
distinguished member of the liberal Cabinet of the Grand Duke of
Baden. This subject, among others, has its share in the important
awakening of thought in the American republic, which is already one of
the fruits of the great pending contest for human freedom. In the
two principal of our Australian colonies Mr. Hare's plan has been
brought under the consideration of their respective legislatures,
and though not yet adopted, has already a strong party in its
favour; while the clear and complete understanding of its
principles, shown by the majority of the speakers both on the
Conservative and on the Radical side of general politics, shows how
unfounded is the notion of its being too complicated to be capable
of being generally comprehended and acted on. Nothing is required to
make both the plan and its advantages intelligible to all, except that
the time should have come when they will think it worth their while to
take the trouble of really attending to it.
Chapter 8
Of the Extension of the Suffrage.
SUCH A representative democracy as has now been sketched,
representative of all, and not solely of the majority- in which the
interests the opinions, the grades of intellect which are
outnumbered would nevertheless be heard, and would have a chance of
obtaining by weight of character and strength of argument an influence
which would not belong to their numerical force- this democracy,
which is alone equal, alone impartial, alone the government of all
by all, the only true type of democracy- would be free from the
greatest evils of the falsely-called democracies which now prevail,
and from which the current idea of democracy is exclusively derived.
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