Legitimacy in American Government...

Today I had my first real college-level American Government class. The professor seems to be a very bright guy and absolutely enchanted with the topic. He is an American through and through. All Americans automatically assume their model of government (a democracy, or a farce of a republic) is legitimate and any decisions made during the political process are also legitimate. This couldn't be more wrong, but that's just how the world works - we are all proud of our own creations no matter how flawed or strange they may be. To explain legitimacy of democratic government most people use the example of groups from everyday life, such as school boards, trade union councils, or just plain old classrooms. There is a huge problem with such comparisons! Namely, when we join a school board, a trade union, or attend college, we do so voluntarily. Thus we acknowledge the system already in place before we become part of it. This can in no way whatsoever be extrapolated into how government functions. People are born into a government and live under its jurisdiction against their will. They do not enter into the system in full agreement with all of its functions and laws. Furthermore, if the system changes while people are within it without their approval they might no longer consent to be governed by it. Democratic government is by definition illegitimate because it would take an amazing scenario for every single participant to fully agree to be part of the democratic system exactly as it exists. And if even one person does not recognize the authority of the government, his/her human rights are being broken. Without consent there can be no legitimacy! Without legitimacy there can be no lawful authority! As I have written many times before - democracy is simply the tyranny of the many over the few.