What Is Democracy?
Democracy is a system of government that gives its citizens an equal say in the decisions that affect them. It can be hard to define, but in general people think of it as a form of government where the power comes from the people through elected representatives. People participate in a democracy by voting, protesting and running for office, among other things. The term derives from two Greek words, demos, meaning “citizens” and kratos, meaning “rule.” Democracy is a universally valued political ideal; its value is recognized in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Democracy matters because it is a uniquely public egalitarian way of making collective decisions when there is persistent disagreement and conflict of interests over how to shape the society we all share. It also provides the necessary conditions for realizing human rights.
Many people see democracy as a crucial component of their well-being, as indicated by surveys and polls in which citizens rate the quality of their lives and of their country’s democracy. But not all are convinced that the current form of democracy is working as well as it should, or that it can be made to work better.
One common argument is that democracy produces better laws and policies than alternative methods of decision-making because it is more likely to produce the right result by considering all relevant facts and arguments. This is called the instrumental justification of democracy. A related argument is that democracy enhances the character of citizens, as demonstrated by the fact that it encourages people to stand up for their own interests and to take part in the democratic process because they have a stake in the outcome.
Another argument is that democracy makes people more morally responsible because it forces them to take the views of others seriously and to try to understand and accommodate their differences. The same argument is used to justify democracy as a means of protecting individual rights and freedoms.
A third argument is that democracy creates a more equal distribution of wealth and opportunity, because it encourages individuals to seek out opportunities for self-betterment, invest in the future and develop skills. This, in turn, benefits the economy and the overall well-being of a nation.
There is much room for debate about how best to define and measure democracy, but what is clear is that democracy has become a vital global idea. Its importance is reflected in the fact that the Sustainable Development Goals – adopted by all countries in 2015 – include the goal of advancing “democracy, good governance and the rule of law at the local and national levels.” The future of democracy will be determined by the extent to which these goals are realized and by the degree to which we continue to support it as a principle and as a practice.
Democracy is a system of government that gives its citizens an equal say in the decisions that affect them. It can be hard to define, but in general people think of it as a form of government where the power comes from the people through elected representatives. People participate in a democracy by voting, protesting and running for office, among other things. The term derives from two Greek words, demos, meaning “citizens” and kratos, meaning “rule.” Democracy is a universally valued political ideal; its value is recognized in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Democracy matters because it is a uniquely public egalitarian way of making collective decisions when there is persistent disagreement and conflict of interests over how to shape the society we all share. It also provides the necessary conditions for realizing human rights. Many people see democracy as a crucial component of their well-being, as indicated by surveys and polls in which citizens rate the quality of their lives and of their country’s democracy. But not all are convinced that the current form of democracy is working as well as it should, or that it can be made to work better. One common argument is that democracy produces better laws and policies than alternative methods of decision-making because it is more likely to produce the right result by considering all relevant facts and arguments. This is called the instrumental justification of democracy. A related argument is that democracy enhances the character of citizens, as demonstrated by the fact that it encourages people to stand up for their own interests and to take part in the democratic process because they have a stake in the outcome. Another argument is that democracy makes people more morally responsible because it forces them to take the views of others seriously and to try to understand and accommodate their differences. The same argument is used to justify democracy as a means of protecting individual rights and freedoms. A third argument is that democracy creates a more equal distribution of wealth and opportunity, because it encourages individuals to seek out opportunities for self-betterment, invest in the future and develop skills. This, in turn, benefits the economy and the overall well-being of a nation. There is much room for debate about how best to define and measure democracy, but what is clear is that democracy has become a vital global idea. Its importance is reflected in the fact that the Sustainable Development Goals – adopted by all countries in 2015 – include the goal of advancing “democracy, good governance and the rule of law at the local and national levels.” The future of democracy will be determined by the extent to which these goals are realized and by the degree to which we continue to support it as a principle and as a practice.