Democracy
Democracy is a political system rooted in majority rule, where all citizens are granted the right to participate in the governance of their society. It encompasses various forms, including direct democracy, where citizens vote on laws and policies, and representative democracy, where they elect officials to make those decisions on their behalf. The historical origins of democracy trace back to Ancient Greece, evolving through time to incorporate mechanisms that aim to protect minority rights against the potential tyranny of the majority. Modern democracies emphasize the importance of free elections, ensuring that citizens can select their leaders for limited terms, which reflects the changing will of the populace.
Typically, a democratic government is structured into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial, allowing for checks and balances to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful. Citizen participation is crucial; they are seen as the ultimate source of political power and are encouraged to fulfill civic duties, such as voting and staying informed on political matters. Political parties play a significant role in democracies, facilitating competition and representation, although variations exist, such as dominant party systems. Overall, democracy promotes individual rights and freedoms, including the freedom of political affiliation, ensuring that citizens can advocate for their interests within the political landscape.
Democracy
Guiding Premise
Democracy is a political system based on majority rule, in which all citizens are guaranteed participatory rights to influence the evolution of government. There are many types of democracy, based on the degree to which citizens participate in the formation and operation of the government. In a direct democratic system, citizens vote directly on proposed changes to law and public policy. In a representative democracy, individuals vote to elect representatives who then serve to create and negotiate public policy.
The democratic system of government first developed in Ancient Greece and has existed in many forms throughout history. While democratic systems always involve some type of majority rule component, most modern democracies have systems in place designed to equalize representation for minority groups or to promote the development of governmental policies that prevent members of the majority from oppressing minorities.
In modern democracies, a central principle is the idea that citizens must be allowed to participate in free elections to select leaders who serve in the government. In addition, voters in democratic systems elect political leaders for a limited period of time, thus ensuring that the leadership of the political system can change along with the changing views of the populace. Political theorists have defined democracy as a system in which the people are sovereign and the political power flows upward from the people to their elected leaders.
A democratic political system is often viewed as integral to capitalism. Thus, economic conditions can influence public perception of and satisfaction with democratic institutions.
The Economist Intelligence Unit's 2023 Democracy Index reported that seventy-four (44.3 percent) of the world's countries were democracies, with 14.4 percent being characterized as “full democracies” and 29.9 percent deemed “flawed democracies.”
Typical Structure
In a typical democracy, the government is usually divided into executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Citizens participate in electing individuals to serve in one or more of these branches, and elected leaders appoint additional leaders to serve in other political offices. The democratic system therefore involves a combination of elected and appointed leadership.
Democracy can also be compatible with modern constitutional monarchy, a system in which foundational documents, such as a written constitution, limit the political power of the unelected king, queen, emir, or sultan and a representative body makes most or all governance decisions. Typically, that representative body is elected by the people.
Democratic systems may follow a presidential model, where citizens elect a president to serve as both head of state and head of government. In a presidential model, citizens may also participate in elections to fill other governmental bodies, including the legislature and judicial branch.
In a parliamentary democracy, citizens elect individuals to a parliament, whose members in turn form a committee to appoint a leader, often called the prime minister, who serves as head of government. In this system, the executive derives its power directly from the legislature and is held directly accountable by the legislature. Some parliamentary systems also have a president, who has differing levels of power from the prime minister.
In most democratic systems, the executive and legislative branches cooperate in the formation of laws, while the judicial branch enforces and interprets the laws produced by the government. Most democratic systems have developed a system of checks and balances designed to prevent any single branch of government from exerting a dominant influence over the development of governmental policy. These checks and balances may be instituted in a variety of ways, including the ability to block governmental initiatives and the ability to appoint members to various governmental agencies.
Democratic governments generally operate on the principle of political parties, which are organizations formed to influence political development. Candidates for office have the option of joining a political party, which can provide funding and other campaign assistance.
In some democratic systems—called dominant party or one-party dominant systems—there is effectively a single political party. Dominant party systems allow for competition in democratic elections, but existing power structures often prevent opposing parties from competing successfully.
In multiparty democratic systems, two or more political parties are able to compete for office, and citizens can choose among political parties during elections. Some countries only allow political parties to be active at the national level, while other countries allow political parties to play a role in local and regional elections.
Role of the Citizen
The citizens in a democratic society are seen as the ultimate source of political authority. Members of the government, by contrast, are seen as servants of the people and are selected and elected to serve the people’s interests. Democratic systems developed to protect and enhance the freedom of the people; however, for the system to function properly, citizens must engage in a number of civic duties.
In democratic nations, voting is a right that comes with citizenship. Though some democracies—Australia, for example—require citizens to vote by law, compulsory participation in elections is not common in democratic societies. Citizens are nonetheless encouraged to fulfill their voting rights and to stay informed regarding political issues.
In addition, individuals are responsible for contributing to the well-being of society as a whole, usually through a system of taxation whereby part of an individual’s earnings is used to pay for governmental services.
In many cases, complex governmental and legal issues must be simplified to ease understanding among the citizenry. This goal is partially met by having citizens elect leaders who must then explain to their constituents how they are shaping legislation and other government initiatives to reflect constituents’ wants and needs. In the United States, citizens may participate in the election of local leaders within individual cities or counties and also in the election of leaders who serve in the national legislature and executive offices.
Citizens in democratic societies are also have the right to join political interest groups and political parties in an effort to further a broader political agenda. However, democratic societies oppose making group membership a requirement and outlaw forcing an individual to join any group. Freedom of choice, especially with regard to political affiliation and preference, is one of the cornerstones of all democratic systems.
Bibliography
Barrington, Lowell. Comparative Politics: Structures and Choices. Wadsworth, 2012.
Caramani, Daniele. Comparative Politics. Oxford UP, 2008.
“Democracy Index 2023.” The Economist Intelligence Unit, 2023, www.eiu.com/n/campaigns/democracy-index-2023/. Accessed 17 July 2024.
“Government Type.” The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/government-type/. Accessed 17 July 2024.
Przeworski, Adam. Democracy and the Limits of Self Government, Cambridge UP, 2010.
“What's Gone Wrong with Democracy.” The Economist, 27 Feb. 2014, www.economist.com/essay/2014/02/27/whats-gone-wrong-with-democracy. Accessed 17 July 2024.
Wike, Richard, and Janell Fetterolf. “Satisfaction with Democracy Has Declined in Recent Years in High-Income Nations.” Pew Research Center, 18 June 2024, www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/06/18/satisfaction-with-democracy-has-declined-in-recent-years-in-high-income-nations/. Accessed 17 July 2024.