Should Democracy Grow up? Children and Voting Rights
This paper examines whether or not children’s continued electoral exclusion is morally defensible. Ultimately, there is a deep tension between the egalitarian presuppositions of democracy and our apparent unwillingness to grant children voting rights. Unless a plausible distinction can be found, the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Tübingen University
2009-11-01
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| Series: | Intergenerational Justice Review |
| Online Access: | https://igjr.org/ojs/index.php/igjr/article/view/510 |
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| author | Steven Lecce |
| author_facet | Steven Lecce |
| author_sort | Steven Lecce |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper examines whether or not children’s continued electoral exclusion is morally defensible. Ultimately, there is a deep tension between the egalitarian presuppositions of democracy and our apparent unwillingness to grant children voting rights. Unless a plausible distinction can be found, then, between adults and children that also tracks the underlying reasons for endorsing democracy in the first place, the continued political disenfranchisement of our youngest citizens is shown for what it is: social injustice. e paper begins by exploring some of the conceptual difficulties that childhood creates in relation to democracy. It then assesses the implications of two very different approaches to democracy for children’s voting rights: proceduralism and a child’s supposed right to an open future. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7eb5929c0c5e424e845808bcf1cb6edd |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2190-6335 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2009-11-01 |
| publisher | Tübingen University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Intergenerational Justice Review |
| spelling | doaj-art-7eb5929c0c5e424e845808bcf1cb6edd2025-02-10T05:00:42ZengTübingen UniversityIntergenerational Justice Review2190-63352009-11-014Should Democracy Grow up? Children and Voting RightsSteven Lecce0University of ManitobaThis paper examines whether or not children’s continued electoral exclusion is morally defensible. Ultimately, there is a deep tension between the egalitarian presuppositions of democracy and our apparent unwillingness to grant children voting rights. Unless a plausible distinction can be found, then, between adults and children that also tracks the underlying reasons for endorsing democracy in the first place, the continued political disenfranchisement of our youngest citizens is shown for what it is: social injustice. e paper begins by exploring some of the conceptual difficulties that childhood creates in relation to democracy. It then assesses the implications of two very different approaches to democracy for children’s voting rights: proceduralism and a child’s supposed right to an open future.https://igjr.org/ojs/index.php/igjr/article/view/510 |
| spellingShingle | Steven Lecce Should Democracy Grow up? Children and Voting Rights Intergenerational Justice Review |
| title | Should Democracy Grow up? Children and Voting Rights |
| title_full | Should Democracy Grow up? Children and Voting Rights |
| title_fullStr | Should Democracy Grow up? Children and Voting Rights |
| title_full_unstemmed | Should Democracy Grow up? Children and Voting Rights |
| title_short | Should Democracy Grow up? Children and Voting Rights |
| title_sort | should democracy grow up children and voting rights |
| url | https://igjr.org/ojs/index.php/igjr/article/view/510 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT stevenlecce shoulddemocracygrowupchildrenandvotingrights |