Democracy is a form of government in which power is vested in the people, who rule either directly or through elected representatives. It is a political system that allows citizens to participate in the decision-making process and hold their leaders accountable.
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Democracy is rooted in the ancient Greek concept of 'rule by the people,' where citizens actively participated in the political process.
The two main types of democracy are direct democracy, where citizens directly make decisions, and representative democracy, where citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.
Key principles of democracy include political equality, popular sovereignty, majority rule, and the protection of minority rights.
Democracies often feature multi-party systems, regular free and fair elections, and a system of checks and balances to prevent the abuse of power.
The success of a democracy depends on an informed and engaged citizenry, a strong civil society, and the rule of law.
Review Questions
Explain how the concept of democracy has evolved from its historical roots in ancient Greece to modern forms of government.
Democracy has its origins in ancient Greek city-states, where citizens directly participated in the political process. Over time, the concept of democracy has evolved to include representative forms of government, where citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf. Modern democracies often feature multi-party systems, regular elections, and a system of checks and balances to prevent the abuse of power. The success of a democracy depends on an informed and engaged citizenry, a strong civil society, and the rule of law.
Analyze the key principles and characteristics that define a democratic system of government.
The core principles of democracy include political equality, where all citizens have an equal say in the political process; popular sovereignty, where the people are the ultimate source of political power; majority rule, where decisions are made based on the will of the majority; and the protection of minority rights, to ensure that the interests of all citizens are represented. Democracies typically feature multi-party systems, regular free and fair elections, and a system of checks and balances to prevent the concentration of power. The success of a democracy is dependent on an informed and engaged citizenry, a strong civil society, and the rule of law.
Evaluate the role of democracy in the context of different forms of government, such as autocracy and oligarchy.
Democracy stands in contrast to other forms of government, such as autocracy, where power is held by a single individual or small group, and oligarchy, where power is concentrated in the hands of a few. While autocracies and oligarchies rely on the unilateral exercise of power, democracy is predicated on the active participation of citizens in the political process and the accountability of leaders to the people. The success of a democracy is often seen as dependent on its ability to balance majority rule with the protection of minority rights, and to maintain a system of checks and balances that prevents the abuse of power. In this context, democracy can be seen as a means of ensuring political equality and popular sovereignty, which are often lacking in other forms of government.
Related terms
Autocracy: A form of government in which a single person or small group holds all the power and exercises it in an absolute or arbitrary manner.
A form of government in which power is vested in a small, elite group rather than in the people as a whole.
Republicanism: A system of government in which power is vested in the people, who rule through elected representatives and an elected or nominated president.