Democracy

The legislature (Congress)

A democracy is considered "consolidated" when, as scholar Juan Linz suggests, it is the only game in town. What this means is that a large majority of the countries' population accepts the democratic institutions as legitimate and thus they exist relatively unchallenged. However, this also means that there must be a strong democratic culture in place as well. This means that, in general, the population believes in the basic tenets of democracy and participates in various aspects of civil society.

That is one of the essential definitions of democarcy that they be ruled by law. ---- Absolutely not! A democracy is characterized by majority rule. The "law" is whatever the majority says it is, and it can change like the weather. The "rule of law" is one of the measures taken to prevent tyranny by the majority. The "rule of law" protects the rights of individuals from the whims of the majority.

Direct and Indirect

One form of democracy is direct democracy in which all citizens vote on every issue. This forum is not feasible for countries (too many people), so countries use indirect democracy, also known as a representative democracy. In this form, the citizens elect representatives who vote on individual issues.

By direct democracy, we mean a referendum, a vote which is put to the general public. In favor of referenda, is the fact that it is more democratic to allow the general public to vote, rather than letting elected officials make decisions on behalf of the public which elected them. The argument against referenda is that the general public does not necessarily understand the issues upon which they have been asked to vote, and may make more foolish decisions than their elected representatives would make. It may be that a professional politician who is able to fully devote his or her time to studying the issues, will be able to understand those issues better than the average voter. Of course, that is not always the case, since some politicians are corrupt or incompetent. But in theory, the public can elect good people who will then make good decisions on behalf of the people who elected them.

Iraq is an illiberal democracy. It has elected leadership, but that leadership is sectarian and does not respresent the views of large segments of its constituency and, effectively, alienates them.

The electoral college destroys the idea of one person-one vote. The concept that a minority can win an election because of the way the college works is anathema to democracy.

The choosing of candidates is controlled by a select few. No person would have chosen either a six-month senator who can't decide what his religion is and has ZERO relevant experience, OR an octogenarian who is just more-of-the-same as the ONLY two possible choices for the President of the US. We as a voter are reduced to selecting the 'lesser of evils' instead of being able to select the best person for the job.

HOW I WILL GET HISTORY PROJECT ON THE GIVEN TOPIC THE PRESENT SCENARIO OF DEMOCRACY ON THE WORLD?

People were able to govern themsleves instead of having someone appointed to rule them in some way.

Of course. The habitual narrow interpretations of law stunts its growth as society matures. Broader interpretations allow the courts to render decisions that are more in step with modern culture and changing views. For example, modern interpretations are making it more and more difficult for some jurisdictions to justify discrimination against individuals for reasons of race, gender, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, etc.

Legislators are chosen without consulting citizens. -Apex

The tone to FDR's "The Great Arsenal of Democracy" was to show the United States just how dangerous the situation they were in was. Roosevelt expressed that it was his duty as President of the United States was to keep the citizens and their independence safe from enemies from all over.

Due to the recession and unemployment of the 1930's, people were looking for a way to pull them out of poverty. In Germany, many began to support Hitler's Nationalist Socialist Workers' Party in the hope for change. There were strikes, hunger marches, and riots in France during this time. In 1936 they elected Leon Blum, their first socialist prime minister. He promised a 40 hour work week and a minimum wage, but these reforms were too expensive and he resigned the following year.

Direct democracy was very much opposed by the framers of the United States Constitution and some signatories of the Declaration of Independence. They saw a danger in majorities forcing their will on minorities. As a result, they advocated a representative democracy.

Alexander Hamilton said, "That a pure democracy if it were practicable would be the most perfect government. Experience has proved that no position is more false than this. The ancient democracies in which the people themselves deliberated never possessed one good feature of government. Their very character was tyranny; their figure, deformity."

Greece

Ethnic democracy is a political system that is comprised of one major ethnic ruling party BUT remains truly democratic in that is provides civil and political rights for ALL its citizens- both the Dominant and Minority groups have equal rights including the right to be elected officials within the government. However, the non-majority ethnic groups (while able to participate in government) generally experience some form of discrimination, usually cultural, with the majority ethnic culture being the "official" culture and those of minority groups being marginalize and possibly even suppressed.

Broad Participaton

Majority Rule

Minority Rights

Rule of Law

Accountable Government

direct democracy

There is really only one deficit that democratic states have in adapting to changing conditions and it is the slowness with which democracies make decisions, on account of the need for general consensus. Compared to a dictator who can make instant decisions and has no accountability for past actions, politicians in a democracy have to contend with each other and come to a compromise-based solution. This makes it harder for democracies to be nimble.

A highlight of Pericles' rule was rebuilding the Athenian Acropolis, including the Pantheon.

• Adaptability Agreement Altruism
• Balance
• Common Good Commonality Compassion Cooperation
• Diversity Dynamism
• Economy Education Equality
• Fairness Faith Flexibility Freedom
• Helpfulness History Honesty
• Initiative Integrity
• Justice
• Labor Liberty
• Participation Peace People
• Respect Responsibility Rights
• Security Shared Power Sociability Sovereignty Sustainability
• Trust Transparency
• Vision

The Ten Commandments were written at a time when an absolute monarchy was considered to be the ideal form of government. None of them provides any support for the concept of democracy.

The only democracy the United States has is the act of voting. The United States of America is a Constitutional Republic with very limited democracy. The only real impact of voting expansion, was people who were not allowed to vote, were now able to vote.