What is Democracy?
Democracy is a way of governing that depends on the will of the people. It is a term derived from the Greek word “demo” meaning people and “kratos” meaning power.
It is a system of government in which citizens decide who governs their country through elections and by other means. It is often seen as the best form of government because it allows citizens to express their views and make changes without fear of violence.
The basic principle of democracy is that the people should be able to make their own decisions in a way that is fair, open and responsive to the needs of everyone. There are three important aspects to democracy that must be respected: the right to freedom of speech, to hold any beliefs or opinions and to vote for your chosen representative.
Rights (UDHR, Articles 18 and 21)
The right to freedom of thought and conscience is a fundamental human right. Throughout history governments have tried to limit this right, either by imprisoning those who think differently, or by limiting what they can say in public.
Rights are essential to democracy because they make it easier for all people to have their voice heard, regardless of where they live or what their financial status is. Poverty, unemployment, poor health or the lack of a home can all detract from an individual’s ability to influence the outcome of elections and government decisions.
This is a problem because in order to be a true democracy, it must include all citizens and give them real power so that they can have a say in what happens in their communities. The most effective way to achieve this is to have elections where every citizen has a chance to participate.
These kinds of political systems have existed in many cultures and societies for centuries, but have come in different shapes and sizes. The term ‘democracy’ was first coined in the 5th century bce by combining the words “demo” and “kratos”.
In a democratic society the decision-making process is open to all people and their opinions are listened to and respected. This can be achieved through a free press and the media, or by voting for representatives who are willing to listen to their constituents.
It can also be achieved through a consensus-based system where voters vote for their preferred policies, and they can change those policies as they see fit. This method is called a’multi-option preference vote’ and is often used in political campaigns.
The ‘democratic’ model is sometimes contrasted with the ‘authoritarian’ model, which is based on the ‘dictatorship’ of a single person or group, such as a president, prime minister or cabinet. The authoritarian model, if adopted in full, is likely to produce a society that is more ‘autocratic’ and less ‘democratic’ than the majority-supported consensus model.
It is therefore important to note that a democracy cannot be a perfect system, and that some democratic countries will never be able to reach their full potential. However, it is possible to achieve a better degree of democracy than we have today, by making changes to the system or through the emergence of new forms of government that are more representative and democratic.
Democracy is a way of governing that depends on the will of the people. It is a term derived from the Greek word “demo” meaning people and “kratos” meaning power. It is a system of government in which citizens decide who governs their country through elections and by other means. It is often seen as the best form of government because it allows citizens to express their views and make changes without fear of violence. The basic principle of democracy is that the people should be able to make their own decisions in a way that is fair, open and responsive to the needs of everyone. There are three important aspects to democracy that must be respected: the right to freedom of speech, to hold any beliefs or opinions and to vote for your chosen representative. Rights (UDHR, Articles 18 and 21) The right to freedom of thought and conscience is a fundamental human right. Throughout history governments have tried to limit this right, either by imprisoning those who think differently, or by limiting what they can say in public. Rights are essential to democracy because they make it easier for all people to have their voice heard, regardless of where they live or what their financial status is. Poverty, unemployment, poor health or the lack of a home can all detract from an individual’s ability to influence the outcome of elections and government decisions. This is a problem because in order to be a true democracy, it must include all citizens and give them real power so that they can have a say in what happens in their communities. The most effective way to achieve this is to have elections where every citizen has a chance to participate. These kinds of political systems have existed in many cultures and societies for centuries, but have come in different shapes and sizes. The term ‘democracy’ was first coined in the 5th century bce by combining the words “demo” and “kratos”. In a democratic society the decision-making process is open to all people and their opinions are listened to and respected. This can be achieved through a free press and the media, or by voting for representatives who are willing to listen to their constituents. It can also be achieved through a consensus-based system where voters vote for their preferred policies, and they can change those policies as they see fit. This method is called a’multi-option preference vote’ and is often used in political campaigns. The ‘democratic’ model is sometimes contrasted with the ‘authoritarian’ model, which is based on the ‘dictatorship’ of a single person or group, such as a president, prime minister or cabinet. The authoritarian model, if adopted in full, is likely to produce a society that is more ‘autocratic’ and less ‘democratic’ than the majority-supported consensus model. It is therefore important to note that a democracy cannot be a perfect system, and that some democratic countries will never be able to reach their full potential. However, it is possible to achieve a better degree of democracy than we have today, by making changes to the system or through the emergence of new forms of government that are more representative and democratic.