Democracy In The Contemporary World

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Many countries struggled for democracy, suffered setbacks. In Chile, the democratic government of Allende was overthrown in 1973, and Pinochet became the military ruler. Democracy was restored again in Chile in 1988. In Poland, a non-democratic country, a one party rule was replaced by democracy under Lech Walesa.

Poland was under the United Workers Party in the 1980s.

1. No other party was allowed to take part in the political process of the country.
2. The state of employment was bad in Poland. The workers could not form their independent trade unions.
3. A strike was organised by the workers of the Lenin shipyard on 14th August 1980 in Gdansk. It was led by Lech Walesa.
4. The main demands of the workers were –
   1. Right to form trade unions.
   2. The release of political prisoners.
   3. Removal of censorship on the press.
5. The government had to concede the demands of the workers and a 21- point agreement called the Gdansk Agreement was signed.
6. Workers, under the leadership of Lech Walesa, formed the first independent trade union of Poland, ‘Solidarity’.
7. Solidarity won the 1990 elections and came to power in Poland. Lech Walesa became the President of Poland.

1. A military coup led by General Augusto Pinochet.
2. The President’s house was bombed by the military and Allende died in it.
3. General Augusto Pinochet became the President of Chile and ruled it for the next 17 years.
4. The military government mercilessly killed thousands who supported Allende.

1. Pinochet’s military dictatorship came to an end after he decided to hold a referendum in 1988.
2. The army’s role in the Chilean government was eradicated and a democratically elected government was formed.
3. In 2006, Chile got its first women President– Michelle Bachelet.

1. Democracy, hence, is a form of government that allows people to choose their own leaders.
2. People have the freedom to express their views, freedom to organise and freedom to protest against injustice.