Without any attempt to be outrageous we can confidently state that Democracy is conflict. Whether to Direct Democracy of Athens, the Democracy of Constitutional Monarchies with strong parliaments, or the Representative Democracy that many Americans confusingly insist is not Democracy, they are all defined by conflict. It is the very nature of the various forms of Democracy.
Consider contemporary European parliaments. Elections are 'won or lost'; the losers form an 'opposition'. Globally we see politicians using the terminology of conflict to describe elections, many calling elections a 'war' are warning of destruction and death of their opponents win, regardless of the actual stakes.
And after elections are over the conflict is often more intense. The passage of legislation evoke more martial language and can lead to physical violence. Shoes, smoke bombs, and punches have all been thrown between politicians in the legislative chambers of the world with some fights turning into riots between politicians.
This spills out into the society as a whole. Democratic nations are rife with political violence ranging from ubiquitous vandalism of opposing views to assassination over minor differences of political outlook. Indeed, contemporary Terrorism is a direct descendant of the violence embraced and used by the Anarcho-Communists attacking Monarchies in 19th century Europe, many of which group used an appeal to Democracy as justification for their violence.
It must be understood that the default state of all Democracies is conflict and violence. The periods of calm and peace are the aberrations.
[Editorial]
