What Is Democracy? Why Democracy?

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• Questions
• Summary

Democracy is a form of government in which the rulers are elected by the people. In this type of government, power is always in the hands of people. The word democracy comes from the Greek word ‘demokratia’.

DEMOS-It means people AND, KRATIA—means the rule.

Forms of government

1. Democratic government
2. Non-democratic governments

Myanmar where the army rules, Dictator Pinochet’s rule in Chile, or President Nkrumah’s rule in Ghana was not democratic. They were not chosen by the people.

Hereditary kings, like the king of Nepal or Saudi Arabia, are also not democratic rulers. They rule because they were born into noble families.

Democracy is a form of government in which the rulers are elected by the people.

This definition allows us to separate democracy from forms of government that is clearly not democratic.

1. In a democracy final decision making power must rest with those elected by the people.
   For example, in Pakistan, President Musharraf has the power to dismiss national and state assemblies; so the final powers rest with the army and the General himself. We cannot call it a democracy.
2. A democracy must be based on a free and fair election where those currently in power have a fair chance of losing.
   For example, in Mexico elections have been held every six years since 1980. But the same party, PRI, has won the elections. Obviously, there has been rigging and malpractices, with freedom denied to the opposition. This is not what a democracy should be.
3. In a democracy, people’s will is ascertained by each adult citizen having one vote and each vote has one value. Democracy is based on the fundamental principle of political equality.
4. A democratic government rules within limits set by constitutional and citizens’ rights.
5. A democratic government cannot do what it likes after winning the elections. It has to respect certain basic rules and is accountable not only to the people but also to other independent officials.