The current political and social affairs of the Croatian state left the bad feeling in my stomach and the bad flavor in my mouth. Croats behave like they know democracy well. Maybe, just maybe somewhat of political democracy but almost nothing of civil democracy, better known as constitutional liberalism.

"Elections, open, free and fair, are the essence of democracy, the inescapable sine qua non. Governments produced by election may be inefficient, corrupt, short-sighted, irresponsible, dominated by special interests, and incapable of adopting policies demanded by the public good. These qualities make governments undesirable but they do not make them undemocratic. Democracy is one public virtue, not the only one, and the relation of democracy to other public virtues and vices can only be understood if democracy is clearly distinguished from the other characteristic of political system." [Samuel P. Huntington: The third wave, 1993.]

"Constitutional liberalism, on the other hand, is not about the procedures for selecting government but rather, government’s goals. It refers to the tradition, deep in Western history, that seeks to protect an individual’s autonomy and dignity against coercion, whatever the source - state, church, or society. The term marries two closely connected ideas. It is liberal because it draws on the philosophical strain, beginning with the Greeks and Romans, that emphasizes individual liberty. It is constitutional because it places the rule of law at the center of politics. Constitutional liberalism developed in Western Europe and the United States as a defense of an individual’s right to life and property and the freedoms of religion and speech." [Fareed Zakaria: The future of freedom, 2007.]

 2010-10-17 

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