What Is Democracy?
Democracy is a political system in which the laws, policies, and leadership of a country are directly or indirectly decided by a “people,” historically understood to mean all (or at least most) adult citizens. There are many different types of democratic systems in the world today, including those that are presidential or parliamentary, ones that use a proportional or majoritarian voting system, and some that are also monarchies. There are, however, some important features that all democracies share.
These include free and fair elections, where people choose their representatives from among competing candidates, the rule of law — with respect for fundamental human rights, such as freedom of expression and religion — and the right to organize and participate in society as a whole. In addition, democracies guard against all-powerful central government and decentralize it at the regional and local levels, where it is most responsive to the people.
In fact, there is a lot of room for debate about what “democracy” means. Some scholars argue that democracy is best thought of as a “polity of principles” rather than a specific form of government. In a democracy of principles, people are able to agree on basic rules that can guide the way they govern themselves, and those principles serve as standards for the behaviour of public officials.
Other scholars think that democracy is a process by which people learn about and understand the issues they face in their daily lives, so that they can make informed decisions. They also think that it is an opportunity for people to develop their character, by learning how to cooperate with others and to think rationally and ethically. Finally, they believe that democratic decision-making encourages a public discourse that uncovers social needs and troubles that would otherwise remain hidden from the view of experts.
All of these benefits are important to a democracy’s survival. Nevertheless, there are reasons for some to doubt whether the modern democracy is up to the task of sustaining its own liberating ideals and protecting the people it promises to protect. In fact, there are many challenges to democracy, some of which have been raised by recent seismic shifts in Europe and the United States, where liberal values have been challenged by xenophobic and authoritarian forces.
To overcome these challenges, it is vital to promote the idea that democracy is not just an end in itself, but a way of life. This means that young people must be involved in democracy from an early age, by learning about the issues facing their community and participating in political activity. This could be by joining an environmental group, for example, or a campaign against war or corporate exploitation. Ideally, participation should begin at a local level, as this will help young people to become more aware of the particular problems in their own neighbourhoods, and of the ways they can take action to improve them. This will make them better positioned to support efforts to sustain and further develop democracy worldwide.
Democracy is a political system in which the laws, policies, and leadership of a country are directly or indirectly decided by a “people,” historically understood to mean all (or at least most) adult citizens. There are many different types of democratic systems in the world today, including those that are presidential or parliamentary, ones that use a proportional or majoritarian voting system, and some that are also monarchies. There are, however, some important features that all democracies share. These include free and fair elections, where people choose their representatives from among competing candidates, the rule of law — with respect for fundamental human rights, such as freedom of expression and religion — and the right to organize and participate in society as a whole. In addition, democracies guard against all-powerful central government and decentralize it at the regional and local levels, where it is most responsive to the people. In fact, there is a lot of room for debate about what “democracy” means. Some scholars argue that democracy is best thought of as a “polity of principles” rather than a specific form of government. In a democracy of principles, people are able to agree on basic rules that can guide the way they govern themselves, and those principles serve as standards for the behaviour of public officials. Other scholars think that democracy is a process by which people learn about and understand the issues they face in their daily lives, so that they can make informed decisions. They also think that it is an opportunity for people to develop their character, by learning how to cooperate with others and to think rationally and ethically. Finally, they believe that democratic decision-making encourages a public discourse that uncovers social needs and troubles that would otherwise remain hidden from the view of experts. All of these benefits are important to a democracy’s survival. Nevertheless, there are reasons for some to doubt whether the modern democracy is up to the task of sustaining its own liberating ideals and protecting the people it promises to protect. In fact, there are many challenges to democracy, some of which have been raised by recent seismic shifts in Europe and the United States, where liberal values have been challenged by xenophobic and authoritarian forces. To overcome these challenges, it is vital to promote the idea that democracy is not just an end in itself, but a way of life. This means that young people must be involved in democracy from an early age, by learning about the issues facing their community and participating in political activity. This could be by joining an environmental group, for example, or a campaign against war or corporate exploitation. Ideally, participation should begin at a local level, as this will help young people to become more aware of the particular problems in their own neighbourhoods, and of the ways they can take action to improve them. This will make them better positioned to support efforts to sustain and further develop democracy worldwide.