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A short summary of the chapter.
Features of Democracy
Democracy is a form of government in which the rulers are elected by the people. In a democracy, the final decision-making power must rest with those elected by the people. A democracy must be based on a free and fair election where those currently in power have a fair chance at losing. In a democracy, each adult citizen must have one vote and each vote must have one value. A democratic government rules within the limits set by the constitutional laws and citizens' rights. All of the above mentioned points are some features needed by a government to be called a democracy. If a government does not fulfill the above mentioned points, it is not a true democracy and is in reality, a monarchy or some other form of government. |
A very short and bare-bones summary.
Arguments Against Democracy
Leaders keep changing in a democracy, this leads to political instability. |
Democracy is all about political competition and powerplay. There is no scope for morality. |
So many people have to consulted in a democracy that it leads to delays. |
Elected leaders do not know the best interest of the people, this leads to bad decisions. |
Ordinary people don't know what's good for them, they shouldn't decide anything. |
The above mentioned points are some arguments against democracy. These arguments find faults in the ways a democratic country is governed. But a lot of these points have an opposing argument that is for democracy. Although these ae quite big faults in a democracy, a realistic form of monarchy or dictatorship would be much worse and have more faults. |
This is also a concise summary for last-minute revision, and I recommend that you thoroughly read the textbook.
Arguments For Democracy
A democratic government is a better government because it is more accountable. |
Democracy provides a method to deal with differences and conflicts. |
Democracy improves the quality of decision-making. |
Democracy enhances the dignity of citizens. |
Democracy is better than other forms of government because it allows us to correct our mistakes. |
The above mentioned points are all arguments for democracy. A democracy is one of the only governments where such freedom can be provided and allows us to govern ourselves. But, this freedom comes at a cost, this splits the government and the people in their own factions and parties. But, the benefits outweigh the deficits. In a democracy, everything has to be in the best interest of the people. |
Note
Representative democracies are most common nowadays as it is physically impossible for all the people in a country to come together and make a decision. Sending a representative is a much more feasible idea. |
Broader Meanings
Sometimes, the word democracy is used for organisations other than just the government. This goes back to its basic meaning of a method of taking decisions. This is where everyone's opinions has equal value. Demokratia is the Greek root word of democracy which means rule of the people. Thus, a democracy can be a government, a family or any organization. Sometimes, it can be used to refer to an ideal government, where all the people's needs are satisfied. This can help evaluate existing democracies. Any decision made with the opinion of the people affected by it is a democratic decision. |
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