DEMOCRACY

Democracy

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HISTORY

History of Democracy

Athens is among the first recorded and one of the most important democracies in ancient times; the word "democracy" ( Greek: δημοκρατία - "rule by the people") was invented by Athenians in order to define their system of government, around 508 BC.

HISTORY

What is a Democracy?

A democracy is a government run by the people. Each citizen has a say (or vote) in how the government is run. This is different from a monarchy or dictatorship where one person (the king or dictator) has all the power.

Two main types of Democracies

Types of Democracies

• REPRESENTATIVE: This is where the people elect representatives to run the government. Another name for this type of democracy is a democratic republic. The United States is a representative democracy. The citizens elect representatives such as the president, members of congress, and senators to run the government.

• DIRECT: A direct democracy is one in which every citizen votes on all important decisions. A direct democracy becomes difficult when the population grows. Imagine the 300 million people of the United States trying to get together in one place to decide an issue. It would be impossible.

characteristics

What characteristics make up a democracy?

• Citizens rule - The power of the government must rest in the hands of the citizens either directly or through elected representatives.
• Free elections - Democracies conduct free and fair elections where all citizens are allowed to vote how they want.
• Majority rule with Individual rights - In a democracy, the majority of the people will rule, but the rights of the individual are protected. While the majority may make the decisions, each individual has certain rights such as free speech, freedom of religion, and protection under the law.

Democracies in reality

reality

While democracy may sound like the perfect form of government, like all governments, it has its issues in reality. Some criticisms of democracies include:

• Only the very wealthy can afford to run for office, leaving the real power in the hands of the rich.
• Voters are often uninformed and don't understand what they are voting for.
• Two party systems (like in the United States) give voters few choices on issues.

• The large bureaucracy of democracies can be inefficient and decisions can take a long time.
• Internal corruption can limit the fairness of elections and the power of the people.

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