The Concept and Benefits of Democracy
Democracy is one of the most powerful ideas in human history. It has inspired countless speeches and writings, from Pericles in ancient Athens to Vaclav Havel in modern Czechoslovakia. Its power and influence have been tested in recent years as the democratic system has been threatened by various forces. Some question whether democracy is still working at all, while others argue that it can be made to work better and be more inclusive.
Democracy involves giving ordinary people a say in how they are governed, which is done through elections and other forms of popular participation. It also ensures that laws are fair and are made by a process that is open to scrutiny. In addition, it requires that people can freely express their opinions in public without fear of punishment or retribution.
The benefits of democracy are often argued along two different lines: instrumentally, in terms of what it can achieve compared to other forms of political decision-making; and intrinsically, in terms of the values that democracy entails. The instrumental argument typically draws on evidence such as the robust empirical correlation between democracy and economic growth, or the fact that well-functioning democracies tend to protect core liberal rights like freedom of expression and association.
While the term ‘democracy’ is often used as a synonym for the electoral form of politics we have in Australia, there are many other ways that a society can be described as democratic. These include allowing citizens to speak out in Parliament and in society, respecting people with different views and allowing people to stand for election and represent their constituents.
The concept of democracy has evolved over time. The first occurrences of democratic government can be traced back to the Athenian city-state and some of its successors in Roman times, as well as to monarchical European states such as England that had a parliament from the seventeenth century. Even Lenin’s revolutionary communist state was based on a version of democracy, in which people were able to elect their own representatives, but the ruling class had to be led by ‘vanguard’ leaders who understood what the masses wanted and needed.
It’s important to remember that there is no single, perfect democracy. Every democracy has its strengths and weaknesses, and is suited to particular circumstances and cultures. It is therefore difficult to compare them, and each has its own unique value.
As a concept, democracy has been contested by repressive regimes seeking to justify their own control over people’s lives by claiming to be democratic. The health of democracy is currently in the spotlight, with organisations such as Freedom House, the Economist Intelligence Unit and V-Dem documenting declining levels of democracy across the world. This has given rise to a growing movement of people who call for more democracy, or who seek to restore what they see as lost freedoms in their own countries. These movements are often motivated by anger at perceived injustices and a sense of dissatisfaction with the status quo.
Democracy is one of the most powerful ideas in human history. It has inspired countless speeches and writings, from Pericles in ancient Athens to Vaclav Havel in modern Czechoslovakia. Its power and influence have been tested in recent years as the democratic system has been threatened by various forces. Some question whether democracy is still working at all, while others argue that it can be made to work better and be more inclusive. Democracy involves giving ordinary people a say in how they are governed, which is done through elections and other forms of popular participation. It also ensures that laws are fair and are made by a process that is open to scrutiny. In addition, it requires that people can freely express their opinions in public without fear of punishment or retribution. The benefits of democracy are often argued along two different lines: instrumentally, in terms of what it can achieve compared to other forms of political decision-making; and intrinsically, in terms of the values that democracy entails. The instrumental argument typically draws on evidence such as the robust empirical correlation between democracy and economic growth, or the fact that well-functioning democracies tend to protect core liberal rights like freedom of expression and association. While the term ‘democracy’ is often used as a synonym for the electoral form of politics we have in Australia, there are many other ways that a society can be described as democratic. These include allowing citizens to speak out in Parliament and in society, respecting people with different views and allowing people to stand for election and represent their constituents. The concept of democracy has evolved over time. The first occurrences of democratic government can be traced back to the Athenian city-state and some of its successors in Roman times, as well as to monarchical European states such as England that had a parliament from the seventeenth century. Even Lenin’s revolutionary communist state was based on a version of democracy, in which people were able to elect their own representatives, but the ruling class had to be led by ‘vanguard’ leaders who understood what the masses wanted and needed. It’s important to remember that there is no single, perfect democracy. Every democracy has its strengths and weaknesses, and is suited to particular circumstances and cultures. It is therefore difficult to compare them, and each has its own unique value. As a concept, democracy has been contested by repressive regimes seeking to justify their own control over people’s lives by claiming to be democratic. The health of democracy is currently in the spotlight, with organisations such as Freedom House, the Economist Intelligence Unit and V-Dem documenting declining levels of democracy across the world. This has given rise to a growing movement of people who call for more democracy, or who seek to restore what they see as lost freedoms in their own countries. These movements are often motivated by anger at perceived injustices and a sense of dissatisfaction with the status quo.