CIAO DATE: 04/05

Democratic Control of Armed Forces: the National and International Parliamentary Dimension

Abstract

Democracy takes many forms. The basic notion that governments derive their legitimacy from the freely expressed votes of their citizens is translated in many different parliamentary practices. Even the conceptual distinction of the three main functions of government – legislative, executive and judicial – as defined in Montesquieu's Trias Politica, seldom resulted in a complete separation of powers. In many countries the members of the executive also sit in parliament. In the US the separation between legislature and executive is the most complete. The President has wide-ranging authority; his ministers are not responsible to Congress. Nevertheless it works, because of a complicated system of checks and balances affecting both legislation and budget appropriations. In France the President of the Republic regards foreign affairs and defence as his special domain in which the cabinet, let alone parliament, has little influence. A common characteristic of Western democracy, however, is its pluralistic character in which the people elect their representatives and have a choice between different political parties. In some cases the decisions reached in parliamentary assemblies are subject to a referendum as a form of direct democracy.

Democracy is more than just democratic institutions. A democratic culture assumes a degree of common identity, tolerance and trust which makes it possible to accept that the opposition might win the next election. In a democracy individuals and minorities feel secure because their fundamental rights are respected and protected by the rule of law. Democracy is a system in which lawmaking and governance are transparent, maximising opportunities for every citizen and subject to quality control – ultimately through elections in which real and viable alternatives exist. Without opposition the perspective of self-improvement would be lost. Democracy functions best when society is not overly polarised and a healthy middle class exists. It should not be limited to parliamentary elections every three or four years, but attempt to reach the citizens at all levels of governmental activities of interest to them. Thus some form of decentralisation of the functions of government is essential, to provinces, Länder or regions and below them to municipalities. For foreign affairs and defence this poses a problem, for these concern the national interest as a whole and override local considerations. Central government therefore plays a dominant role in these fields and democratic control can be exercised only by the national parliament. Inevitably this creates a certain distance between parliamentarian and voter.

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