Anyone looking for evidence of cultural dumbing down need look no further than the way in which “democracy” has become a one-word slogan for all desirable objectives. What do both American neo-conservatives and European liberal interventionists say they hope to achieve in the Middle East? “Democracy.” What is the most common complaint in elite circles against the working of the European Union? The “democratic deficit”.

The simplest definition of democracy is decision by voting. The more sensible propagators of democratic slogans are aware of the dangers of oppression of minorities or the havoc that can be wrought by ill-informed public opinion. From here there are two ways to go. You can say that true democracy involves far more than occasional voting in nationwide elections; or you can stick with the simple definition, and accept that democracy is just a particular decision rule.