The Importance of Democracy
Democracy is an idea that has fueled some of the world’s greatest political movements and sounded some of its most compelling voices. It has been a powerful weapon against dictatorships and military juntas, and it has enabled ordinary people to make the changes they want in their lives and hold their governments accountable. Democracy can’t protect us from every bad thing that happens in the world, but research shows it does a much better job of protecting our rights and liberties than alternative forms of government do.
Democracy requires daily vigilance from all citizens, and it can be damaged or even lost when people and leaders violate its fundamental principles, undermine its institutions for personal or partisan gain, or refuse to extend its protections to all of society. We must work to reform and strengthen democracy to ensure that it can continue to fulfill its most important tasks: empowering people to achieve their full human potential, protecting people from harm, advancing knowledge, and building thriving communities.
The most basic form of a democracy involves a popular election to select the members of a government and the right of the people to hold that government accountable. Other features of a democracy include the rule of law, equality before the law and equal access to government services and benefits, the ability to protest or demonstrate in public, and freedoms of expression, association, and property. It also includes a healthy civic culture with active participation by all, including historically marginalized groups, and the ability of individuals to participate in a range of political activities in addition to voting.
Although the term democracy is often associated with Western democracies that have embraced liberal political traditions and enjoyed broad prosperity, there are still doubts about whether it can work in other parts of the world. A prevailing view in diplomatic and academic circles holds that democracy depends on economic development, especially the level of per capita income and the degree to which people have been exposed to a wide variety of ideas. It is generally accepted that these conditions are necessary for the kind of political power sharing, compromise, and shared identity that characterize democratic societies.
While the relationship between democracy and economic growth is complicated, there are some clear patterns. When per capita income and educational attainment are high, the likelihood of democracy surviving and succeeding is very high.
The most effective way to promote and defend democracy is to encourage people to vote, stand for office, join civic organizations, participate in community events, and take other steps to be engaged in their local communities and in politics. The goal is for people to feel a strong connection with their government and to see that it is working on their behalf. This will help them to resist the siren songs of would-be dictators and to create an enduring faith in their democracy. In the long run, this is the most likely path to a brighter future for all.
Democracy is an idea that has fueled some of the world’s greatest political movements and sounded some of its most compelling voices. It has been a powerful weapon against dictatorships and military juntas, and it has enabled ordinary people to make the changes they want in their lives and hold their governments accountable. Democracy can’t protect us from every bad thing that happens in the world, but research shows it does a much better job of protecting our rights and liberties than alternative forms of government do. Democracy requires daily vigilance from all citizens, and it can be damaged or even lost when people and leaders violate its fundamental principles, undermine its institutions for personal or partisan gain, or refuse to extend its protections to all of society. We must work to reform and strengthen democracy to ensure that it can continue to fulfill its most important tasks: empowering people to achieve their full human potential, protecting people from harm, advancing knowledge, and building thriving communities. The most basic form of a democracy involves a popular election to select the members of a government and the right of the people to hold that government accountable. Other features of a democracy include the rule of law, equality before the law and equal access to government services and benefits, the ability to protest or demonstrate in public, and freedoms of expression, association, and property. It also includes a healthy civic culture with active participation by all, including historically marginalized groups, and the ability of individuals to participate in a range of political activities in addition to voting. Although the term democracy is often associated with Western democracies that have embraced liberal political traditions and enjoyed broad prosperity, there are still doubts about whether it can work in other parts of the world. A prevailing view in diplomatic and academic circles holds that democracy depends on economic development, especially the level of per capita income and the degree to which people have been exposed to a wide variety of ideas. It is generally accepted that these conditions are necessary for the kind of political power sharing, compromise, and shared identity that characterize democratic societies. While the relationship between democracy and economic growth is complicated, there are some clear patterns. When per capita income and educational attainment are high, the likelihood of democracy surviving and succeeding is very high. The most effective way to promote and defend democracy is to encourage people to vote, stand for office, join civic organizations, participate in community events, and take other steps to be engaged in their local communities and in politics. The goal is for people to feel a strong connection with their government and to see that it is working on their behalf. This will help them to resist the siren songs of would-be dictators and to create an enduring faith in their democracy. In the long run, this is the most likely path to a brighter future for all.