Liberal Democracy and the Bahá’í Administrative Order: An Analysis

Abstract

This paper attempts to contrast the Bahá’í Administrative Order with the two dominant types of liberal democracy, namely Responsible Government and Separation of Powers, as potential models for government in the current world. Specifically analyzed will be how each system serves society’s well-being through its theory of representation, how the abuse of power is prevented in the decision­-making process, how the election processes function, and what the potentials of each system are on a global level. Liberal democratic conceptions, including the assumption that society’s well-being is best administered by addressing the needs and inputs of the individuals comprising it, are the adopted standard of compari­son.