What is Democracy?
Democracy is a way of managing and ruling that depends on the consent of the people. It’s more than voting, it’s about having a robust discussion and debate on the issues that affect us all, whether that be through protesting, running for office or another of the many ways you can take part in democracy. The word is derived from the Greek demos, meaning ‘people’, and kratos, meaning power or rule. The earliest known use of the word was in ancient Athens, which is often seen as the birthplace of democracy.
In a democracy, everyone has the right to freedom of speech and expression, and of assembly and association (UDHR article 20). People can talk to each other freely, form interest groups or lobbying organisations, and meet together to discuss their concerns, and perhaps express their disagreement with decisions that have been made by governments or their elected representatives. This can be inconvenient for politicians, but is essential if people are to have their voices heard and taken into account in democratic decision-making.
It has also been argued that democracy tends to get people to think carefully and rationally about the interests of others because they know that political outcomes depend on their input more than they do in monarchy or aristocracy. Some have even claimed that this kind of democratic participation promotes moral qualities in citizens by making them more aware of the needs and troubles of their fellow citizens.
However, there is growing concern that democracy is not working as well as it used to, particularly in Western democracies, where low levels of citizen participation in elections may be a sign that people do not feel their voice is being heard. This is accompanied by increasing distrust of government, and fears that democracy is being replaced by authoritarian forms of governance.
Ultimately, though, it is hard to argue that democracy is not the best form of governance available. It is the one that gives people most control over their own lives, and provides them with a sense of ownership of their country. It’s the only form of governance that guarantees everyone is equal before the law, and that laws are fair, clearly written and protect people’s rights.
The strength of a democracy, then, is not so much in its structures or procedures, but in the degree to which those rights and protections are respected. In fact, our research has found that dissatisfaction with democracy is far more closely linked to beliefs about how well people’s most fundamental rights are protected than any other factor we have studied. In every nation we have analysed, those who believe their right to freedom of speech and expression is not well protected are more dissatisfied with their democracy than those who say they are satisfied with the way their nation’s government manages public affairs.
Democracy is a way of managing and ruling that depends on the consent of the people. It’s more than voting, it’s about having a robust discussion and debate on the issues that affect us all, whether that be through protesting, running for office or another of the many ways you can take part in democracy. The word is derived from the Greek demos, meaning ‘people’, and kratos, meaning power or rule. The earliest known use of the word was in ancient Athens, which is often seen as the birthplace of democracy. In a democracy, everyone has the right to freedom of speech and expression, and of assembly and association (UDHR article 20). People can talk to each other freely, form interest groups or lobbying organisations, and meet together to discuss their concerns, and perhaps express their disagreement with decisions that have been made by governments or their elected representatives. This can be inconvenient for politicians, but is essential if people are to have their voices heard and taken into account in democratic decision-making. It has also been argued that democracy tends to get people to think carefully and rationally about the interests of others because they know that political outcomes depend on their input more than they do in monarchy or aristocracy. Some have even claimed that this kind of democratic participation promotes moral qualities in citizens by making them more aware of the needs and troubles of their fellow citizens. However, there is growing concern that democracy is not working as well as it used to, particularly in Western democracies, where low levels of citizen participation in elections may be a sign that people do not feel their voice is being heard. This is accompanied by increasing distrust of government, and fears that democracy is being replaced by authoritarian forms of governance. Ultimately, though, it is hard to argue that democracy is not the best form of governance available. It is the one that gives people most control over their own lives, and provides them with a sense of ownership of their country. It’s the only form of governance that guarantees everyone is equal before the law, and that laws are fair, clearly written and protect people’s rights. The strength of a democracy, then, is not so much in its structures or procedures, but in the degree to which those rights and protections are respected. In fact, our research has found that dissatisfaction with democracy is far more closely linked to beliefs about how well people’s most fundamental rights are protected than any other factor we have studied. In every nation we have analysed, those who believe their right to freedom of speech and expression is not well protected are more dissatisfied with their democracy than those who say they are satisfied with the way their nation’s government manages public affairs.