Source: Bad Samaritans: The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism (2008), Ch. 8, Democracy and the free market, p. 172
Context: Unlike what neo-liberals say, market and democracy clash at a fundamental level. Democracy runs on the principle of 'one man (one person), one vote'. The market runs on the principle of 'one dollar, one vote'. Naturally, the former gives equal weight to each person, regardless of the money she/he has. The latter give greater weight to richer people. Therefore, democratic decisions usually subvert the logic of market.
“Much of the time, the question goes unasked in prosperous liberal democracies like Britain or the United States, because most of us see political equality as exhausted by “one person, one vote” and dig no deeper; we know that one person, one vote coexists with the better-off and better-organized buying influence through lobbying, campaign contributions, and use of the mass media, but we find ourselves puzzled to balance a belief that everyone has the right to use his or her resources to influence government—which is certainly one form of political equality—with our sense that excessive inequality of political resources undermines democracy.”
Introduction: Thinking about Politics.
On Politics: A History of Political Thought: From Herodotus to the Present (2012)
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Alan Ryan 20
British philosopher 1940Related quotes
“One person, one vote is the great equalizer of humanity.”
at LCV Annual Gala https://www.lcv.org/article_category/blog/Speech
Statement at the Masiela Lusha Foundatinon board page http://www.masielalushafoundation.org/board.php
2015, Bloody Sunday Speech (March 2015)
Context: Because Selma shows us that America is not the project of any one person. Because the single-most powerful word in our democracy is the word “We.” “We The People.” “We Shall Overcome.” “Yes We Can.” That word is owned by no one. It belongs to everyone.
Writing for the court, Gray v. Sanders, 372 U.S. 368, 381 (1963)
Judicial opinions
Presidential campaign (April 12, 2015 – 2016), Speech in Orlando, Florida (September 21, 2016)