Democracy Essay examples - 821 Words

Traditionally, the purpose of democracy is to prevent the accumulation of too much authority in the hands of one or a few. It rests on a balance of giving enough power for what Alexander Hamilton called quot;vigorous and energetic governmentquot; and avoiding giving out so much power that it becomes abused. Democracy is believed by some, such as Winston Churchill, to be the quot;least badquot; form of government. By creating a system where the public can remove administrations, without changing the legal basis for government, democracy aims at reducing political uncertainty and instability, and assuring citizens that however much they may disagree with present policies, they will be given a regular chance to change those who are in†¦show more content†¦The threat of coercive power is still the main cause for concern. A historical example would be Hitler in pre-Nazi Germany, who was elected in 1933 by the German people with the largest minority vote. For this reason, some cou ntries have created constitutions/laws that protect particular issues from majoritarian decision-making. Generally, changes in these constitutions require the agreement of a supermajority of the electednbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; representatives, or require a judge and jury to agree that evidentiary and procedural standards have been fulfilled by the state, or, very rarely, a referendum. This means a majority can still legitimately coerce a minority, but such a minority would be very small and, as a practical matter, it is harder to get a larger proportion of the people to agree to such actions. On the other hand, proponents of broader democracy wonder what gives a small minority of people the right to impose their will on the majority. â€Å"Democracy has failed to eliminate social inequality, and this seems a permanent and structural failure. It is undeniable that all democratic societies have social inequalities - substantial differences in income, in wealth, and in social status. These differences have persisted: there is no indication that inequality will ever disappear in democracies. In the stable western democracies, inequality is apparently increasing. The pattern established in the United States is, that the lowest incomes do not grow:Show MoreRelatedDemocracy Is Not A Democracy1297 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"Democracy... while it lasts is more bloody than either aristocracy or monarchy. Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There is never a democracy that did not commit suicide.† said by John Adams Defines our country s government to a tea Democracy commonly refers to a type of political system in which the people or their representatives lawfully go vern themselves, rather than being governed, say, by a military dictatorship, totalitarian party or monarchRead MoreDemocracy : Democracy Vs. Democracy1589 Words   |  7 PagesDemocracy is a Greek invention, first practiced in the ancient Greek city of Athens. In the late 20th century, Democracy triumphed over all other major ideological systems, so overpowering was its victory that former critics now began to advocate their own democratic credentials. The vigorous rise of democracy has continued ever since and today there are over 112 self-proclaimed democratic countries around the world(Kekic 2007), whether all these countries are truly democratic or not is debatableRead MoreDemocracy And Its Impact On Democracy965 Words   |  4 Pages How are they related to democracy, concepts discuss the procedures that make democracy possible. Democracy related to our lives by looking for the right thing to do, for every one of us have equality and freedom of speech, we could have multiple ideas it might change the ideology of the country, we also could related the democracy by looking at the facts. The facts are Free Elections, Political Participation, Civil Liberties, and Functioning Government. The democracy is one of the most common typesRead MoreDemocracy And Its Impact On Democracy1329 Words   |  6 Pages Democracy is a particular form of government the means, â€Å"ruled by the people†. The Greeks are widely credited for the concept of democracy, around six B.C. Many political science experts consider the early Greek government, to be a perfect for of democracy. People had the ability to decide various government issues, and the right to suffrage. Through out time, the concept of democracy was established by many nations. The United States, is widely credited on making democracy widely used aroundRead MoreDemocracy : A Perfect Democracy1398 Words   |  6 PagesDemocracy at its purest form is a system of government, which allows each and every citizen to participate actively and equally in the decisions being made. In a perfect democracy, the decisions made the government are perfect representations of what the people want. In reality, a perfect democracy is nearly impossible, especially when dealing with a population as large as the United States, but there are still techniq ues and systems that can be implemented into a society in which democracy can beRead MoreDemocracy Vs Democracy1193 Words   |  5 Pagesthat I think has created the most success for the government and its people is democracy. The definition of democracy is a â€Å"political system of mass participation, competitive elections, and human and civil rights (Roskin 88).† This is the clear definition of democracy, but there are many different forms for example there is a representative democracy and illiberal democracy. These follow the same guideline of democracy, but have there own individual definition. Unfortunately, there is no perfectRead MoreDemocracy And Its Effect On Democracy894 Words   |  4 PagesDemocracy in its most basic form is a type of governing system ruled by the citizens of a particular society. The first form of democracy can be found in ancient Greece, and the modern form of Democracy was established in part by the French revolution because it brought bac k the idea of rule by the people. Although, for most of history democracy was not viewed in a positive light. According to Mintz, Close, and Croci many people feared democracy because they thought the masses would not act withRead MoreDemocracy And Its Effect On Democracy Essay2111 Words   |  9 PagesOver the past quarter-century, democracy has stood at the center of political debate in many countries and it is a constant concern of the political and social sciences. Since its origins in ancient Greece, democracy was seen as a form of government where power was exercised by the people, that is, where political decisions were made by the majority. Today, democracy enjoys great recognition, but it is important to bear in mind that where democracy is now the preferred constitution, we can not forgetRead MoreDemocracy And Its Lack Of Democracy2099 Words   |  9 Pagesoligarchy, democracy, and tyranny. Most shocking critique throughout the discussion is about democracy and its ineff ectiveness to rule. Plato’s disagreement of democracy does not involve of what we are acquainted with today, but rather the idea of democracy. Plato explores the central strain of the government that is acknowledged with liberty and fairness. Also, this form of government known for its embracement of freedom and equality. Plato’s description and disagreement about democracy is correctRead MoreDemocracy843 Words   |  4 PagesDemocracy Essay 1 Democracy is a means for the people to choose their leaders and to hold their leaders accountable for their policies and their conduct in office. The key role of citizens in a democracy is to participate in public life. Democracy is also a system of rule by laws, not by individuals. Democracy is not a government. It is a way of thinking and a responsibility