October 2019
Rule of Law Is Not a Given.
What distinguishes liberal democracies from dictatorships and absolute monarchies is "rule of law." Laws, unlike the orders or whims of single absolute powers, involve a system of participatory governance (the people vote), separation of powers (Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary), and an independent press that serves as a check on abuse of power by any of these other institutions.
"Norms," agreed upon behaviors beyond force, are the habitual behavior of most citizens more...