By: Keith Miles
I have always taken the view that tolerance is essential to a healthy democracy.
In the engineering world the word tolerance means the appropriate amount of space that is allowable for a structure of fitting or perhaps the limit that can be allowed. This is interesting because it reflects human relations that show that there must be some degree of flexibility.
The dictionary definition is :
‘the ability or willingness to tolerate the existence of opinions or behaviour that one dislikes or disagrees with’
It is easy to see how this definition fits within a healthy functioning democracy, albeit alongside the requirement for freedom of speech. It also means that when one side or party loses an election they accept that the winners are legitimately elected to power. This means that intense rivals do not resort to violent physical actions against their opponents nor do they promote insurrection and revolution. Change is always possible within a democracy even if it takes time.
Many many famous and erudite people through history have made positive quotes about tolerance recognizing how important it is to society, and I would say to also to democratic systems, and in addition necessary for civilisation.
Let me mention one or two
From ancient times
It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
Aristotle
Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself.
Marcus Aurelius
From heroes of democracy
Tolerance is the only thing that will enable persons belonging to different religions to live as good neighbours and friends.
Mahatma Gandhi
There is nothing more important in life than giving. Tolerance is forged when people look beyond their own desires
Nelson Mandela
From heroes of free speech
What is tolerance? It is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other’s folly – that is the first law of nature.
Voltaire
However we all know that there must be a limit to tolerance because in order for civilisation to function satisfactorily there can be no easy tolerance for illegal violence. Nor for words of incitement. Especially when that comes from groups who wish to deny others any tolerance. Typically these groups are totalitarian regimes whether under Communism or Nazism or hard leftists or religious bigotry.
Two famous philosophers made erudite comments in this respect. This is the so called paradox of tolerance
Karl Popper said
Unlimited tolerance must lead to the disappearance of tolerance. If we extend unlimited tolerance even to those who are intolerant, if we are not prepared to defend a tolerant society, then the tolerant will be destroyed, and tolerance with them. We should therefore claim, in the name of tolerance, the right not to tolerate the intolerant.
John Rawls said
An intolerant sect has no right to complain when it is denied an equal liberty… A person’s right to complain is limited to principles he acknowledges himself.
Of course where one draws the civilised line in democracy and where free speech is essential. Democracy cannot be subverted by obsessed and bigoted minorities, or as Popper said we risk the disappearance of tolerance and worthwhile democracy.
Returning to the engineering metaphor at the beginning, it is known in engineering that to get the best level of any progress is when there is great deal of constructive conflict, but always remembering that zero friction or indeed one hundred per cent friction stops any movement in an engineering sense. So that the lack of any disagreement in a democracy will stop progress. Once again we can relate this to totalitarian or autocratic states where progress in all fields tended to be slow and in some cases non existent, and in some retrograde.
The great American Benjamin Franklin saw tolerance from a Christian point of view
The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all others, charity.
A high ideal to live up to and sadly difficult in our modern world.