Democracy prevents elected officials from ignoring the self-help needs of ordinary people. It challenges them to represent the needs of each community, so that everyone has an equal Huntington () elaborates how democracies have fragile political institutions and lend themselves to popular demands at the cost of beneficial investments. They believe that denial First, democracy is considered to protect human rights the best because it is founded on the recognition of the intrinsic worth and equality of human beings. Second, democracies are the
Essay on Democracy for Students [, & words] | Leverage Edu
Why is it assumed democracy should be the preferred form of government in the world? How does it compare to other models for political organization? And why is there such a widespread perception that democracy is under threat? When talking about the importance of democracy it is important to define it essay on importance of democracy. At its heart is the concept of the population choosing a government through regular, free, and essay on importance of democracy elections. Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard. In Europe and the English-speaking world it is often assumed democracy naturally takes the form of liberal democracy — popular sovereignty but limited by a constitution which guarantees individual freedoms such as speech and rights such as to a fair trial.
Crucially these essential freedoms are not subject to a democratic vote. In fact, democracy does not necessarily have to be liberal. Certain nations today have illiberal democracies where voting continues but liberal characteristics, such as an independent judiciary and free press, have been compromised. Defenders of liberal democracy say this actually makes these societies inherently undemocratic, as stripping away liberal guarantees leads to intimidation and coercion by the state, undermining elections. The guarantees of liberal democracy are intended to ensure no ethnic, geographic, class, or business interest dominates or exploits others to an unreasonable degree, and that there is fair and universal consent gained for government policies.
Arguably the importance of liberal democracy is two-fold: no other system of government guarantees the right to free expression of political preference; and no other system promotes progress through peaceful competition between different interests and ideas. This question is being asked a lot more as democracy is threatened by various forces around the world. Some question the value of the popular vote when it leads to seismic shifts such as Brexit, and the election of demagogues who threaten liberal values. Even the American system, for a long time the exemplar of democratic freedoms, seems so polarized that it is in essay on importance of democracy of becoming impotent, its ability to endure technological, demographic, essay on importance of democracy, and cultural change in doubt.
Meanwhile, over the last years, a more technocratic, uniform form of politics has taken hold in the European Union EUwhere democracy is arguably less responsive to citizens and large elements of the population feel excluded from the process of government. More recently, non-democratic, authoritarian governments such as China have been praised for enduring the COVID pandemic better than democracies, because they are better able to compel specific behaviour from citizens without concern for individual liberties, or dissent from a free press. All this may question the need for democracy. Liberal democracy, in theory at least, provides a mechanism for some form of rule by proportionate representation, essay on importance of democracy, with citizens empowered to bring about change through participation and persuade the powerful to act for the greater good.
But democracy is a process, not a state. Countries such as the UK and the US were not true democracies until relatively recently. In the US it was not until that African-Americans in its southern states gained a guaranteed right to vote. Democracy has endured in part due to its ability to accommodate change from below through expansion of voting rights, and greater protection of civil liberties. By contrast authoritarianism is, essay on importance of democracy, by its nature, centralized and limiting of free thought and expression. It can accomplish rapid change, but only ordained from above. Perhaps what has been witnessed in democracies since signals a need for further renewal and evolution of democratic systems.
Because the more averse to change democracies become, essay on importance of democracy, the more likely it is they will wither. Democracy has played a vital role in the story essay on importance of democracy civilization, helping transform the world from power structures of monarchy, empire, and conquest into popular rule, self-determination, and peaceful co-existence. A direct form of democracy was initially practiced in ancient Greece, but there were many slaves in that society, and hardly anyone was a citizen and able to participate. Since then it essay on importance of democracy been generally understood that modern human history follows a trend towards greater democracy, with some scholars describing the phenomenon taking place in essay on importance of democracy waves.
The first wavebetween the late 18th century andsaw the American, French, and Haitian revolutions, the gradual emergence of democracy in Britain, Bolivarian revolutions establishing democracies in South America, and the break-up of German, Ottoman, and Austro-Hungarian empires after World War 1 into democratic republics. The second wavebetween andsaw the reorganization of the defeated axis powers Germany, Italy, and Japan into strong democracies, and decolonization unfolding across the world, creating independent and largely democratic nations.
The third wave from tosaw the end of dictatorships in Portugal, Spain, and Brazil, democratic transitions in Taiwan and South Korea, and the eventual collapse of the USSR, creating free, democratic, Eastern European states. The number of African countries that have adopted democratic systems of government has grown since decolonisation, the collapse of communism and the ending of a number of civil wars. Some countries, such as Ghanaare seen as resilient democracies, while for others the democratic transition is more fragile — after months of pro-democracy protests in in Sudana civilian-led transitional government is now paving the way for democracy after decades of military rule.
African states and societies are grappling with the dual complex challenges of democratizing and developing their economies — in the context of the most diverse continent in the world with some of its least developed countries. So progress towards democratic consolidation is not linear and is threatened by populism, authoritarian leaders and divided societies. The COVID pandemic has given rise to authoritarian opportunism but in Freedom House had already noted steep declines in freedoms in 22 African countries, especially in West Africa. Some argue that development and poverty reduction should be prioritized over democracy.
However, demand for democracy and essay on importance of democracy freedoms in Africa remains high, if often disappointed, as Afrobarometer data show. Positive changes to bring about or protect democracy in Malawi and Sudan for example, have been led by young people, women and increasingly well-established civil society groups and journalists. Thinkers such as Amartya Sen argue democratic values are essential to successful development, pointing out no substantial famine has ever occurred in an independent and democratic country with a relatively free press.
He cites the example of Indiawhere the last famine in took place under British colonial rule. This perception of a link between democracy and development has ebbed and flowed over the last century, as communism rose and fell and the economic balance of the world shifted from West to East. In the s, s, and s communism seemed capable of lifting millions of people out of poverty while building vast new industries, winning wars, and delivering cutting edge science. But towards the end of the Cold War, the Soviet Union had stagnated and communism seemed doomed to stifle innovation and growth. Only fifty years ago the country was in a state of near civil war during the cultural revolution. The more important question is whether other nations will strengthen or weaken their democracies in response.
Historically, many thinkers argued democracy can only be detrimental to a free and just society, characterizing rule by the majority as inherently unstable, irrational, and a threat to private property. The Founding Fathers of the United States of America were acutely aware of this perceived threat and designed the constitution and electoral college to constrain popularly elected leaders with the liberal rights guaranteed by the constitution. Recent events have led some commentators to conclude that the system is broken. But when we question its merits and seek out its flaws, essay on importance of democracy, we should be acutely aware that we live in societies that permit us to criticise, and that this is in itself a crucial right.
We should also question what our alternatives would be. We might imagine the landscape in an authoritarian or dictatorship state: would we expect to receive a fairer trial? To find more balanced information on the internet? To see minority rights more protected? Would a settlement of World War Two imposed by fascist victors, rather than democracies, have created a more just and free peace? Our flagship newsletter provides a weekly round-up of content, essay on importance of democracy, plus receive the latest on events and how to connect with the institute. It is most likely that democracy needs to be further deepened, by reinvigorating the rights and guarantees enshrined in liberal democracy, and making it more responsive and accountable however we can, essay on importance of democracy.
Looking at the alternatives it is fair to conclude that people living in democracies have no alternative. The importance of democracy Why is democracy important to the world and how does it help maintain a just and free society? Explainer 14 April 4 minute READ. Show authors Jon Wallace Digital Content Manager, Digital Transformation, essay on importance of democracy. Hans Kundnani Associate Fellow, Europe Programme. Elizabeth Donnelly Former Deputy Director, Africa Programme. What is the importance of democracy? The cure for the ills of democracy is more democracy. The rich shall pay all the taxes, and the poor shall make all the laws.
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, time: 5:23The importance of democracy | Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank
Huntington () elaborates how democracies have fragile political institutions and lend themselves to popular demands at the cost of beneficial investments. They believe that denial Apr 14, · Democracy is popular sovereignty – in Abraham Lincoln’s words, ‘government of the people, by the people, for the people’. At its heart is the concept of the population As Winston Churchill once said, “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.” The world seems to have embraced this idea, making democracy, at least for now, the
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