2nd Term
DEMOCRACY
Meaning:
The word ‘Democracy’ was derived from two Latin words ‘demo’ and ‘kratia’. Demo
means people while Kratia means government. Thus, democracy means
people-government, that is as Abraham Lincoln said, the government of the
people, by the people and for the people. It is the people that run their own
government either directly or through elected representatives.
Types of
democracy
1. Direct
democracy: this is the type of democracy in which all qualified adult citizens
meet to make political decisions. It was possible in small city-states like
Athens, but in modern states, due to the large population, all qualified adults
cannot meet in one place to make political decisions directly. Hence, they
adopt indirect democracy.
2. Indirect
or representative democracy: In this type of democracy, the power is in the
hands of the elected representatives who are elected by the people in
elections. Thus, instead of all the qualified adults to meet and decide, it is
the elected representatives that meet and make political decisions on behalf of
the people.
1. Characteristics of Democracy: (1) Franchise:
the people are given the right to vote or be voted for
(2) Periodic and regular election (3) Political liberty (4) Value of individual personality (5) Freedom of association (6) Political party (7) Corporate decision making (8) Rule of law (9) Fundamental human rights
Importance
of democracy: (1) It bring about popular participation (2) Political stability (3)
Legitimacy to the government (4) It
prevents dictatorship (5) There is
tolerance of opposing views (6) Laws
and Decisions made are relevant to the people, and not just the ideals of the
ruler.
Problems of
democracy: (1) Rigging of elections hinders the elections from reflecting
the will of the people (2) Lack of
Sportsmanship makes some politicians to resort to violence when they lose an
election (3) Mass illiteracy may
make the people to vote for a wrong choice, and this wrong choice will be upheld
due to majority. (4) It is difficult
to reach a consensus
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