Philosophy Bites – Josiah Ober on the Civic Bargain

Intro

In this episode of Philosophy Bites, Josiah Ober discusses the concept of the civic bargain and its importance for the survival of democracies. He highlights the strain that extreme political partisanship puts on democracies and emphasizes the need for a special kind of friendship between political opponents.

Main Takeaways

The Civic Bargain: Preserving Democracy

• Democracies are under strain due to extreme political partisanship in some countries, such as the United States.
• The survival of democracy relies on a civic bargain, which requires a special kind of friendship between political opponents.
• Citizens must agree on some high-level ends, such as living with relative security, material welfare, and without a boss.
• Institutional design is important, but reducing democracy to a particular kind of decision process is a mistake.
• The danger for democracy is when people become too passionate about their own ends and forget about the core elements of security, welfare, and living without a boss.

The Civic Bargain in Practice

• To avoid getting into a position where we can’t do anything, we need to make an agreement with each other.
• This agreement needs to be both tacit and explicit, with citizens regarding each other as civic friends and not enemies.
• Civic dignity and practicality are important for citizens to feel safe and not afraid of each other.
• The bargain is a set of normative agreements about how we ought to be treating each other at a minimum, and actual bargains have been struck in history.
• Solon was brought in as an arbitrator to create an agreement between factions in Athens to prevent civil war.

The Success and Challenges of Democracy

• The agreement gave the elite protection for their property and eliminated debt slavery for the poor.
• Both sides felt they didn’t get everything they wanted, but recognized it was the best deal they could get.
• The success of a democracy depends on citizens being willing to abide by the terms of a bargain and impose costs on those who violate it.
• Ideological polarization and seeing fellow citizens as enemies threatens democracy, but it can be salvaged by high-stakes challenges and a willingness to compromise.
• The stakes are high in modern society, but we tell ourselves they are low.

Educating Citizens and the Future of Democracy

• The alternative to ideological polarization is a recognition of democracy as making a bargain and compromising.
• Citizens need to be educated in the habits of citizenship and treating fellow citizens with dignity.
• The problem of democracy is how persons with pluralistic preferences can come together and make agreements.
• The future of the world may be more cohesive smaller states, but this could lead to more conflict.

Summary

The Civic Bargain: Preserving Democracy

In this episode, Josiah Ober discusses the strain that extreme political partisanship puts on democracies and emphasizes the need for a civic bargain to preserve democracy. Democracies are collective self-government by a body of citizens, and they require citizens to agree on high-level ends such as security, welfare, and living without a boss. While institutional design is important, reducing democracy to a particular decision process is a mistake. The danger lies in people becoming too passionate about their own ends and neglecting the core elements of democracy.

The Civic Bargain in Practice

Ober emphasizes the importance of making an agreement with each other to avoid getting into a position where nothing can be accomplished. This agreement should be both tacit and explicit, with citizens regarding each other as civic friends rather than enemies. Civic dignity and practicality are crucial for citizens to feel safe and not afraid of each other. The civic bargain consists of normative agreements about how citizens should treat each other at a minimum, and historical examples of actual bargains, such as Solon’s agreement in Athens, demonstrate its practicality.

The Success and Challenges of Democracy

Ober discusses the success of a democracy depending on citizens’ willingness to abide by the terms of the bargain and impose costs on those who violate it. Ideological polarization and viewing fellow citizens as enemies pose a threat to democracy, but it can be salvaged through high-stakes challenges and a willingness to compromise. Despite the high stakes in modern society, citizens often underestimate them. The podcast explores the importance of recognizing democracy as a process of making a bargain and compromising.

Educating Citizens and the Future of Democracy

Ober highlights the need to educate citizens in the habits of citizenship and treating fellow citizens with dignity. The problem of democracy lies in how individuals with pluralistic preferences can come together and make agreements. The future of democracy may involve more cohesive smaller states, but this could also lead to increased conflict.

Conclusion

The civic bargain is essential for the survival and success of democracies. It requires citizens to prioritize collective goals and treat each other as civic friends rather than enemies. By understanding the importance of compromise and educating citizens in the habits of citizenship, democracy can overcome ideological polarization and thrive in the face of high-stakes challenges. The future of democracy may involve smaller states, but it is crucial to navigate this path with caution to prevent further conflict.