What is Democracy?
Democracy is a political system where citizens have a say in their government and it’s the people who decide how the country should run. It’s the foundation of many societies and has played a vital role in the development of civilization, helping to transform the world from power structures of monarchy, empire and conquest into popular rule, self-determination and peaceful co-existence.
There are many types of democracy but they all share certain characteristics and values. These include:
Majority rule with Individual rights – In a democracy the majority of people will make decisions but each person has certain rights and freedoms such as free speech, freedom of religion and protection under the law.
Limitations on Lawmakers – In a democracy there are restrictions on the laws and policies that are created by the lawmakers such as term limits. The president and the congress are representatives of the people but they have limited powers.
Free elections – In a democracy elections are conducted where everyone has the opportunity to vote on how they want to run their country. The government must be responsive to the needs and wishes of the people.
Reliable Information – In a democracy it’s important for citizens to have access to reliable information. This allows them to understand how their government is doing and how it can improve. It also helps them to make better informed choices about their own lives and the policies that are being created.
Participation – The most obvious way to participate in democracy is to vote but there are also many other ways to participate such as joining a pressure group or participating in the government. These other forms of participation are just as important and need to be incorporated into the system so that it is as effective as voting.
It’s nearly always possible to improve the “people” part of democracy by including more people in decision making and making them more responsive to their influence. But it’s not as simple to improve the “power” part of democracy by giving more people real power.
In a democracy the leaders must be elected by the people but they do not necessarily have to be from the same social class. They can be from different races or nationalities but they should have the same level of education and experience.
The leaders need to be free from corruption and they should be held to account if they break the law or do not follow a set of rules. They should be able to have a voice in the government and they should be able to speak out against injustice and discrimination.
This is a good way to make sure that the government is working to meet the needs of all citizens and not just the wealthy or the powerful. It is also a way to keep politicians from taking advantage of the people.
Democracy is a system that has many different characteristics and it can be adapted to suit the needs of any society. It can be federal or unitary, it can be a parliamentary system or it can be a presidential system. It can be based on a proportional or a majoritarian voting system.
Democracy is a political system where citizens have a say in their government and it’s the people who decide how the country should run. It’s the foundation of many societies and has played a vital role in the development of civilization, helping to transform the world from power structures of monarchy, empire and conquest into popular rule, self-determination and peaceful co-existence. There are many types of democracy but they all share certain characteristics and values. These include: Majority rule with Individual rights – In a democracy the majority of people will make decisions but each person has certain rights and freedoms such as free speech, freedom of religion and protection under the law. Limitations on Lawmakers – In a democracy there are restrictions on the laws and policies that are created by the lawmakers such as term limits. The president and the congress are representatives of the people but they have limited powers. Free elections – In a democracy elections are conducted where everyone has the opportunity to vote on how they want to run their country. The government must be responsive to the needs and wishes of the people. Reliable Information – In a democracy it’s important for citizens to have access to reliable information. This allows them to understand how their government is doing and how it can improve. It also helps them to make better informed choices about their own lives and the policies that are being created. Participation – The most obvious way to participate in democracy is to vote but there are also many other ways to participate such as joining a pressure group or participating in the government. These other forms of participation are just as important and need to be incorporated into the system so that it is as effective as voting. It’s nearly always possible to improve the “people” part of democracy by including more people in decision making and making them more responsive to their influence. But it’s not as simple to improve the “power” part of democracy by giving more people real power. In a democracy the leaders must be elected by the people but they do not necessarily have to be from the same social class. They can be from different races or nationalities but they should have the same level of education and experience. The leaders need to be free from corruption and they should be held to account if they break the law or do not follow a set of rules. They should be able to have a voice in the government and they should be able to speak out against injustice and discrimination. This is a good way to make sure that the government is working to meet the needs of all citizens and not just the wealthy or the powerful. It is also a way to keep politicians from taking advantage of the people. Democracy is a system that has many different characteristics and it can be adapted to suit the needs of any society. It can be federal or unitary, it can be a parliamentary system or it can be a presidential system. It can be based on a proportional or a majoritarian voting system.