Conscience

Take the phrase (the cliche, I suppose we could say) 'the dictates of ones conscience': as in George Washington's celebrated 'every man ought to be protected in worshipping the Deity according to the dictates of his own conscience.' This identification of 'conscience' with a dictator is a curious thing, isn't it? What might a democratically elected conscience look like? One predicated on many inputs, on compromise and negotiation? Wouldn't it look exactly like our consciences actually are?