Understanding the Meaning of Democracy
Democracy is a word that conjures up images of Pericles in Athens and Vaclav Havel in the Czech Republic, and it has inspired some of humanity’s greatest political writings. Yet it is also a term that has been misunderstood and misused, with totalitarian regimes and military dictatorships trying to claim popular support by attaching democratic labels to their names. It is therefore important to understand what democracy actually is and how it can work.
The core of democracy is a system where people have a say in how their government is run, and can hold decision makers to account. Democracy ensures the right to free and fair elections, and protects such fundamental human rights as freedom of speech and religion, the right to equal protection under law, and the ability to organize and participate in society. It is a system of governance that respects the fundamental values and principles of the United Nations Charter.
Democracies can never be held to a one-size-fits-all standard and are very different from each other, reflecting their nation’s unique political, social, cultural and economic life. Nevertheless, all have in common an emphasis on people’s power and rights. This is the meaning of democracy that is defended and promoted by the United Nations.
How do we define democracy? Historically, the term has meant a government by and for the people. The word democracy has been used to describe a wide variety of political systems, from the ancient city-based republics of Athens and Rome to monarchical European states in which citizens were able to elect members of parliament (the Riksdag).
Today, many countries have a government that meets the criteria for being described as a democracy. However, there is room for improvement in both the “people” and the “power” components of democracy. It is possible to increase the number of people who have a say in how their government is led, and it is also possible to give them more real power over their lives.
Despite the great diversity of political systems, a clear definition of democracy is important. This is especially true as people in many countries express dissatisfaction with the way their democracy works. In the United States, for example, only about 20% of the population thinks democracy is working well. In other parts of the world, the numbers are even more striking.
The most obvious reason for the decline in confidence in democracy is that people feel their views are not being heard. This is why it is so important for democracy to guarantee freedom of expression, and for those who have a voice to be able to share their views with others, whether in the classroom or in public. If you are prevented from expressing your opinion to other people, or from presenting your views in the media, then you can no longer take part in a democracy. This is why the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR, Article 19) says that people must have freedom of opinion and expression.
Democracy is a word that conjures up images of Pericles in Athens and Vaclav Havel in the Czech Republic, and it has inspired some of humanity’s greatest political writings. Yet it is also a term that has been misunderstood and misused, with totalitarian regimes and military dictatorships trying to claim popular support by attaching democratic labels to their names. It is therefore important to understand what democracy actually is and how it can work. The core of democracy is a system where people have a say in how their government is run, and can hold decision makers to account. Democracy ensures the right to free and fair elections, and protects such fundamental human rights as freedom of speech and religion, the right to equal protection under law, and the ability to organize and participate in society. It is a system of governance that respects the fundamental values and principles of the United Nations Charter. Democracies can never be held to a one-size-fits-all standard and are very different from each other, reflecting their nation’s unique political, social, cultural and economic life. Nevertheless, all have in common an emphasis on people’s power and rights. This is the meaning of democracy that is defended and promoted by the United Nations. How do we define democracy? Historically, the term has meant a government by and for the people. The word democracy has been used to describe a wide variety of political systems, from the ancient city-based republics of Athens and Rome to monarchical European states in which citizens were able to elect members of parliament (the Riksdag). Today, many countries have a government that meets the criteria for being described as a democracy. However, there is room for improvement in both the “people” and the “power” components of democracy. It is possible to increase the number of people who have a say in how their government is led, and it is also possible to give them more real power over their lives. Despite the great diversity of political systems, a clear definition of democracy is important. This is especially true as people in many countries express dissatisfaction with the way their democracy works. In the United States, for example, only about 20% of the population thinks democracy is working well. In other parts of the world, the numbers are even more striking. The most obvious reason for the decline in confidence in democracy is that people feel their views are not being heard. This is why it is so important for democracy to guarantee freedom of expression, and for those who have a voice to be able to share their views with others, whether in the classroom or in public. If you are prevented from expressing your opinion to other people, or from presenting your views in the media, then you can no longer take part in a democracy. This is why the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR, Article 19) says that people must have freedom of opinion and expression.