What Is Democracy?
A democracy is a political system whereby all eligible citizens have equal rights and opportunities to participate in the governance of their societies, either directly or through freely chosen representatives. Democracy is often referred to as the “rule of the people” or, in the more formal sense, as a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” It is one of the world’s oldest and most widely-held values, shared by almost all countries that claim to be democracies (as shown below).
Democracy is a complex concept, however, and there are a variety of different ways in which it can be defined. For example, it can be defined as any system of government that is based on the principles of vox populi, vox dei, and aristocracy. Alternatively, it can be defined as any system of politics that is characterized by the rule of law and the equality of citizens before the law. Democracy can also be described as any political system that complies with the human rights principles of freedom of speech, association, assembly, and movement, and the right to life, liberty, and security of person.
The term democracy derives from the Greek words demos (“people”) and kratos (“rule” or “power”), and was first used in the 5th century bce to describe the political systems then existing in certain Greek city-states, including Athens. Those who advocate for democratic governments argue that they free social and national energies from the shackles of capitalist profit motives and colonialism, and allow people to pursue their interests and needs rationally. It is a powerful idea, but it has not always worked in practice, and there are ongoing debates about whether the term ‘democracy’ adequately captures what people really mean when they speak of it.
Many critics point out that democracy is not necessarily synonymous with the market economy or liberal values, and that it is a false hope for developing countries to achieve economic development without destroying their environments or undermining civil liberties. In addition, there is a growing concern that democracy is losing its legitimacy in the face of seismic shifts like Brexit and the rise of demagogues.
People can participate in democracy by voting, forming interest groups or lobbying, and by protesting against decisions they disagree with. Whether they do this on a local or international scale, the more people who take part in democratic processes, the better the outcomes. It is essential that young people are educated about the issues and encouraged to engage in democracy, starting from an early age.
The justification for democracy can be made along two distinct lines: instrumentally, by reference to the benefits that it produces compared with other methods of political decision-making; or intrinsically, by reference to values inherent in the democratic method itself. The former has been supported by studies such as Scott Page and Lu Hong’s theorem that a random collection of limited-ability agents will typically outperform a group of the best experts; the latter has been support by philosophers such as John Rawls, who argued that a basic level of economic justice was necessary for a truly democratic system.
A democracy is a political system whereby all eligible citizens have equal rights and opportunities to participate in the governance of their societies, either directly or through freely chosen representatives. Democracy is often referred to as the “rule of the people” or, in the more formal sense, as a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” It is one of the world’s oldest and most widely-held values, shared by almost all countries that claim to be democracies (as shown below). Democracy is a complex concept, however, and there are a variety of different ways in which it can be defined. For example, it can be defined as any system of government that is based on the principles of vox populi, vox dei, and aristocracy. Alternatively, it can be defined as any system of politics that is characterized by the rule of law and the equality of citizens before the law. Democracy can also be described as any political system that complies with the human rights principles of freedom of speech, association, assembly, and movement, and the right to life, liberty, and security of person. The term democracy derives from the Greek words demos (“people”) and kratos (“rule” or “power”), and was first used in the 5th century bce to describe the political systems then existing in certain Greek city-states, including Athens. Those who advocate for democratic governments argue that they free social and national energies from the shackles of capitalist profit motives and colonialism, and allow people to pursue their interests and needs rationally. It is a powerful idea, but it has not always worked in practice, and there are ongoing debates about whether the term ‘democracy’ adequately captures what people really mean when they speak of it. Many critics point out that democracy is not necessarily synonymous with the market economy or liberal values, and that it is a false hope for developing countries to achieve economic development without destroying their environments or undermining civil liberties. In addition, there is a growing concern that democracy is losing its legitimacy in the face of seismic shifts like Brexit and the rise of demagogues. People can participate in democracy by voting, forming interest groups or lobbying, and by protesting against decisions they disagree with. Whether they do this on a local or international scale, the more people who take part in democratic processes, the better the outcomes. It is essential that young people are educated about the issues and encouraged to engage in democracy, starting from an early age. The justification for democracy can be made along two distinct lines: instrumentally, by reference to the benefits that it produces compared with other methods of political decision-making; or intrinsically, by reference to values inherent in the democratic method itself. The former has been supported by studies such as Scott Page and Lu Hong’s theorem that a random collection of limited-ability agents will typically outperform a group of the best experts; the latter has been support by philosophers such as John Rawls, who argued that a basic level of economic justice was necessary for a truly democratic system.