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Why Democracy Matters John Stewart Speech Analysis

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The ideology of an idyllic society based on equality as well as democratic principles has long been synonymous with a righteous government. But the consequences of this aspiration for a utopian society has begun to show in countries where democracy as a political system has been implemented in the immediate wake of wars and instability. In the speech “Why Democracy Matters”, which was held in the historic Banqueting House, Whitehall, in London on the 22nd of June 2012, the British member of parliament Rory Stewart sounds a call to rebuild the frail democracy of today which is threatened by mistrust and corruption. This essay will analyse Stewart’s speech with a particular focus on how Stewart argues for his views and the intention of the speech …show more content…

It is through examples like these that it is possible for Stewart to show the audience the importance of democracy – not for its benefits, but as an ideal. To get this intention across to the audience, Stewart focuses on how the concept of democracy still is being challenged and misinterpreted by various institutions of power while he explains the elements necessary for a democracy to function optimally as well. To explain the ways that democracy is challenged and misinterpreted today, Stewart uses the country of Jamaica as an example. In his given example, Stewart explains how the power balance in Jamaica is off as the people in power, such as congressmen, is highly educated graduating from universities such as Harvard and Princeton, while much of the general public lives in poverty with restricted access to power through education. Stewart furthermore explains how the concept of democracy is misinterpreted through mistrust. Today, in countless countries, the amount of mistrust among the public towards government is at an all-time high which is one of the biggest threats towards a flourishing democracy. It is thus profoundly necessary to rebuild the trust between the public and the politicians for the democracy in place to become vibrant and vigorous once again. This argument is supported by Bulgarian political scientist Ivan Krastev

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