This fact makes irrelevant both pæans and condemnations based upon conceptual interpretations of democracy, which, whether true or false, good or bad, are reflections of facts in thought, not their causal authors.
Dewey critiques simplistic interpretations of democracy, arguing they are reflections rather than causes.
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The clear consciousness of a communal life, in all its implications, constitutes the idea of democracy.
In other words, every officer of the public, whether he represents it as a voter or as a stated official, has a dual capacity.
But in this respect he does not differ from those explicitly designated public officials who have also been known to betray the interest committed to them instead of faithfully representing it.
Personal loyalties to elders take the place of political obedience.