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Democracy
Democracy is a type of government characterized by a "rule of the people." In most democracies, citizens are equal and have the ability to vote for their political leaders.
1,484 Questions
Why is the municipal government the best at democracy?
the municipal government is the best at democracy because of its closer link and knowledge of the people. the municipal government can easily cater to the citizens needs because it has so little people to care for. to top it off, municipal politicians are elected by the people according to different sections of a city; a candidate is elected per section. last but not least, citizens can more easily and freely participate in the municipal governments' plans and ideas.
Abraham Lincoln, America's sixteenth
president, described our democracy is in the civics book today
Did Athenian democracy include slavery?
About a third of the population were slaves. Democracy was for citizens, who were free adult males.
Why is there a difference between a direct democracy and a representative democracy?
In a direct democracy an assembly of the citizens decides on all matters of government and law. In a representative democracy, citizens elect representatives to a parliament, and these representatives vote on the issues of government. Direct democracy is not possible in a large state as it has been impracticable for citizens to travel regularly to an assembly over large distances. The problem with representatives is 'do they really represent the opinions of their electors?'
With the internet it would now be possible to take direct peoples' votes regularly, but don't hold your breath waiting for the politicians to give up their power and perks.
Who benefited from Jacksonian Democracy?
White males of European descent were the main people who benefited from Jacksonian Democracy, as voting rights improved. Owning property was no longer a requirement - the man only had to be free. This was a period during which there was more political participation by the citizens of the US as well as loyalty to one party or another. It extended from about 1828 -1854. This was a forerunner to the current Democratic Party, and Andrew Jackson believed in ending government monopoly by elites. The Executive Branch of government became more powerful during that time. Election of judges, Manifest Destiny and avoidance of battles over slavery were part of the effects.
In order to discuss incompatibility, you need to have two distinct things. Democracy is incompatible with other forms of political theory, such as abolutism, military rule, or theocracy, but it is compatible with most everything else, such as different economic systems, social organizations, religions, etc.
What is one contribution to democratic ideas by the Greeks Romans and the Judeo-Christian tradition?
A:
Greece: The earliest democratic traditions were those of Athens, where citizens were expected to participate in democratic decision-making. If history had played out differently, universal democracy could have evolved from this example.
Rome: The Roman republic was a reaction against the presumed right of kings. There was a limited suffrage, at least for the upper classes, and a potential movement towards more universal participation in political affairs. Julius Caesar knew he must avoid any suggestion that he wished to restore the kingship, but nevertheless imposed a dictatorship, effectively ending the republic. He was succeeded by powerful emperors, ending any suggestion of democratic ideals, until Emperor Diocletian voluntarily shared power with three fellow-emperors, a model he intended to make permanent, and then retired from office. Had Constantine, through a series of civil wars, not recentralised power to himself, Diocletian's model could have resulted in a renewal of democratic thought.
Judaism: Judaism was always wedded to the monarchical model. After the Babylonian conquest, the priests filled the vacuum left by the death of the royal family, bringing about centuries of theocratic rule. Roman rule brought an end to the theocratic state, but not the start of democracy. The Jewish diaspora was involved in uprisings against the local populations in Egypt and Cyprus, suggesting that democracy was the last thing on their minds.
Christianity (Catholic): The Catholic tradition, prior to the twentieth century at least, was firmly in support of kings by divine right. Any threat to the rights of kings was seen as a potential threat to the rights of the pope. In the twentieth century, some priests expressed support for liberation theology, notably in South America, but the Vatican disapproved of their stance. The Church supported Spain's Franco and Italy's Mussolini, and was at best neutral in regard to Germany's Hitler.
Christianity (Protestant): The Protestants of the Reformation had no intention of encouraging democratic ideas. Indeed, Martin Luther was concerned that his movement had led to peasant uprisings. However, the Reformation had broken the power of the Christian Church, and democratic ideas would flourish under the Enlightenment.
Deism: Deism is part of the Judeo-Christian tradition, in that it accepts the existence of God, while rejecting most of the Christian doctrine. Enlightenment leaders such as Voltaire and Jefferson were Deists rather than Christians, but they and many of their contemporaries believed in the ideals of liberty and egalitarianism. More than any other, it was this idea of liberty and egalitarianism that sparked an unstoppable movement towards democracy.
