Democracies – What Makes a Democracy?
The word democracy is derived from two Greek words, demos (people) and kratos (power). It refers to a way of governing that relies on the people’s consent.
It assumes that, given the opportunity, human beings are capable of governing themselves in a manner that is fair and free. It also assumes that any society comprises a diversity of interests and individuals who deserve to have their views respected. This is a fundamental premise of democracy, and it underpins the principles that guide democracy’s development.
Democracy also assumes that the rule of law places limits on government. No one, not even a king or an elected president, is above the law. The people’s representatives are accountable to the people through independent, impartial courts. There is no place for corruption, and corrupt office holders are punished by independent commissions.
Another key principle of democracy is the right to freedom of expression. This is a fundamentally important part of democracy because, if people cannot express their opinions publicly, they can’t take part in government. This is why the Universal Declaration of Human Rights considers freedom of expression a basic attribute of democracy.
A democracy also depends on the idea that every citizen has a responsibility to participate in it. This is why democracies encourage participation, particularly in local affairs. Citizens can be involved by voting, participating in protests, or running for office. But they should never stop participating — or they will weaken their democratic system.
The strength of democracy depends on the vigilance of citizens and leaders to uphold its basic principles. It can be damaged or lost when people or leaders ignore its institutions and freedoms for their own personal gain or partisan interests, and when they do not extend its benefits to everyone.
There are a number of organizations that attempt to measure the degree of democracy in a country or region, including the Freedom House, Economist Intelligence Unit and Varieties of Democracy index. While the methods used by these organizations vary, they all start with a definition of what makes a democracy and then compare countries to see how well they meet those criteria. While there are some attributes that are likely to be uncontroversial – such as the fact that elections must be fair and open, for example – the initial decisions about which features are or are not democratic can sometimes lead to divergent conclusions.
While democracy requires constant vigilance, it is possible to improve the quality of a democratic system and ensure that the people’s will is reflected in the policies of their government. The first step is to understand what democracy is and how it works, so that we can recognize when a democracy’s principles are being violated and demand action. It is only when the entire community, including the private sector, makes a commitment to uphold and defend democracy that we can make sure it lives up to its name. Then, we can begin to build a truly global democracy, one that begins in our own communities and neighborhoods.
The word democracy is derived from two Greek words, demos (people) and kratos (power). It refers to a way of governing that relies on the people’s consent. It assumes that, given the opportunity, human beings are capable of governing themselves in a manner that is fair and free. It also assumes that any society comprises a diversity of interests and individuals who deserve to have their views respected. This is a fundamental premise of democracy, and it underpins the principles that guide democracy’s development. Democracy also assumes that the rule of law places limits on government. No one, not even a king or an elected president, is above the law. The people’s representatives are accountable to the people through independent, impartial courts. There is no place for corruption, and corrupt office holders are punished by independent commissions. Another key principle of democracy is the right to freedom of expression. This is a fundamentally important part of democracy because, if people cannot express their opinions publicly, they can’t take part in government. This is why the Universal Declaration of Human Rights considers freedom of expression a basic attribute of democracy. A democracy also depends on the idea that every citizen has a responsibility to participate in it. This is why democracies encourage participation, particularly in local affairs. Citizens can be involved by voting, participating in protests, or running for office. But they should never stop participating — or they will weaken their democratic system. The strength of democracy depends on the vigilance of citizens and leaders to uphold its basic principles. It can be damaged or lost when people or leaders ignore its institutions and freedoms for their own personal gain or partisan interests, and when they do not extend its benefits to everyone. There are a number of organizations that attempt to measure the degree of democracy in a country or region, including the Freedom House, Economist Intelligence Unit and Varieties of Democracy index. While the methods used by these organizations vary, they all start with a definition of what makes a democracy and then compare countries to see how well they meet those criteria. While there are some attributes that are likely to be uncontroversial – such as the fact that elections must be fair and open, for example – the initial decisions about which features are or are not democratic can sometimes lead to divergent conclusions. While democracy requires constant vigilance, it is possible to improve the quality of a democratic system and ensure that the people’s will is reflected in the policies of their government. The first step is to understand what democracy is and how it works, so that we can recognize when a democracy’s principles are being violated and demand action. It is only when the entire community, including the private sector, makes a commitment to uphold and defend democracy that we can make sure it lives up to its name. Then, we can begin to build a truly global democracy, one that begins in our own communities and neighborhoods.