explain the significance of Democracy in detail
Answers
Answer:
Democracy is a system of government where citizens are allowed to participate in the proposal and creation of laws. ... In a direct democracy, citizens are directly involved with creating laws, and in a representative democracy, citizens elect representatives who create laws on their behalf.
Explanation:
The word ‘democracy’ comes from a Greek which means ‘rule by the people.’ It’s used to describe a system of government where power is held by the citizens. They can impact important decisions, either directly or through the people they elect.
Democracy is based on freedom and equality between all people. It’s often described as the ‘rule of the majority’, as important decisions are based on the votes of the people. This can either be:
Through direct democracy. Everyone gets the chance to vote on the outcome of a decision. An example is the Brexit referendum in 2016.
Through representative democracy. People vote to elect officials to make decisions to reflect the wishes of the people, such as the US Congress and UK Parliament.
Democracies should protect the best interests of the people, regardless of their race, gender, sexuality, religion or political opinion.
What other systems are used?
Today, there are around 75 countries in the world that have democracies of some kind. However, some countries have different systems of government:
Oligarchy. While democracies give power to the many, oligarchies give power to the few. It’s a system where a small number of people hold power, usually thanks to their wealth, social status, education or business interests. Power is often passed from one group to the next without the majority of the population voting. Some present day examples include Russia, Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Autocracy. In autocracies, a single person possesses absolute power to rule over the country. This ‘autocrat’ is often above the laws that apply to everyone else. For example, the North Korean dictatorship is currently the longest enduring autocratic regime post World War II.
Constitutional monarchy. A constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a singular person (a monarch - usually a king or queen) has agreed to share power with a constitutionally organised form of government. Monarchs usually achieve their position through hereditary succession, meaning they are born into it through their family. Common examples include Britain, Belgium and Spain.