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Athens, a city state of Ancient Greece. Only elite or royal blood governed the country. In 514 BC Spartans attacked Athens. Isagoras chief rival: Cleisthenes. Cleisthenes turned to people for support and won a popular appeal. More direct role of citizens in running the city-state.
ORIGIN
What is democracy?
Demokratia, or democracy rule by the
people. Only men over 20 were allowed to vote only from a certain category (Productive i.e. Farmers etc). Women, children, slaves and alien residents did not have a say in it. Core meaning of democracy: people governing themselves.
Two main principles: Equality and Freedom. All citizens being equal before the law Having equal access to power. Freedom secured by legitimized rights and liberties. Protected by a constitution.
No. People did not have equal rights. Huge discrimination i.e. certain people allowed to vote. Things not different from the times of aristocracy with the introduction of this so called fair politics. Corroded with slavery, venality, war and inequality. Just a mere concept.
TYPES OF DEMOCRACY
Direct Democracy
Citizens make policy & law decisions in person. Without going through representatives & legislatures. Head of State: any member of government in turn (for one year);has no practical importance. Government : o members with equal right o selected by the parliament o represent all major parties.
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Parliament: Elected for a fixed legislative period No dissolution Changing coalitions Government members need not be members of parliament People vote on laws and representatives.
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Laws created in four steps: i. Draft by the administration ii. Consultation of federal states, political parties, entrepreneurs, unions and other interested groups. iii. Parliamentary debate and final version passed. iv. Possibility of a referendum.
Presidential Democracy
A system of government in which also called an executive branch exist but is separate from the legislature. President: elected by the people nominates the ministers [members of government]. Parliament: elected for a fixed legislative period
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Clear institutional separation of parliament and government. Government members need not be members of parliament Strong position of the president (veto) Laws are debated and passed by the parliament Lobbyists do not have a formal right to be heard
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The president may block a law by veto He may or may not rely on a majority of the parliament .
Parliamentary Democracy
A system of representative government in which the dominant party in the legislature determines the Prime Minister. Head of State: has a different function than prime minister it may be a monarch (queen/king) or an elected person.
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Government : Elected by the parliament based on a majority May be dismissed by the parliament. Parliament: Elected for a legislative period Dissolution and early new elections are possible if a clear majority cannot be established. Government members must be elected members of parliament.
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Strong position of the political parties Laws: Proposed by the government. Debated and passed by parliament. Lobbyists do not have a formal right to be heard If there is a solid majority, compromises are sought within the coalition Opposition may be ignored until the next elections
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Democratic self-government does not work because: Ordinary people have not learned how to run the ship of state In their ignorance they tend to vote for politicians who trick them with appearance & nebulous talk. At the mercy of administrations and conditions over which they have no control They do not understand what is happening around them.
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They are guided by unreliable emotions more than by careful analysis. Wil Durant: Democracy is the most difficult form of government It requires the widest spread of intelligence. 100% literacy rate for success.
Men cannot be equal however their access to education and opportunity can be made more equal.
People..
Victims of Ignorance Cant make the right decisions Cant decide for themselves what they want Until people don't have the right amount of education, democracy will fail every time. Due to struggle for democracy, there is now more freedom and widespread rights.
CONCLUSION
Wallance R. Wirths: True democracy has never actually existed & doesnt exist even today. And undoubtedly it wont exist in future as well.