What Makes What Makes Democracy?Democracy?

Educational InitiativesEducational InitiativesFAT, 2011FAT, 2011

CCore characteristicore characteristic DDemocracy is based on the emocracy is based on the freely expressed will of the freely expressed will of the

peoplepeople to determine their own political, economic, to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural systems and their social and cultural systems and their full and free full and free participationparticipation. .

DDemocracy is primarily about emocracy is primarily about right to chose and right right to chose and right to change the holders of the political powerto change the holders of the political power in a in a regular, fair and free electionsregular, fair and free elections. . ((electoral democracyelectoral democracy)). .

EEssential characteristicssential characteristic:: Positions of political power are Positions of political power are filled through regular, free, and fair elections between filled through regular, free, and fair elections between competing parties, and it is competing parties, and it is possible for an incumbent possible for an incumbent government to be turned out of officegovernment to be turned out of office through elections. through elections.

Declaration of Independence, UDeclaration of Independence, USA, SA, 17761776

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed...„from the Consent of the Governed...„

The most fundamental concept of democracy is the The most fundamental concept of democracy is the idea that government exists to secure the rights of idea that government exists to secure the rights of the people the people and to implement its will and to implement its will and must be and must be based on the consent of the governed.based on the consent of the governed.

FH FH criteria for an electoral criteria for an electoral democracy: democracy:

A competitive, multiparty political system; A competitive, multiparty political system;

Universal adult suffrage; Universal adult suffrage;

Regularly contested elections conducted on the Regularly contested elections conducted on the basis of secret ballots, reasonable ballot security basis of secret ballots, reasonable ballot security and the absence of massive voter fraud; and the absence of massive voter fraud;

Significant public access of major political Significant public access of major political parties to the electorate through the media and parties to the electorate through the media and through generally open political campaigning.through generally open political campaigning.

Dahl’s concept of polyarchy

All adult citizens have the right to vote; All adult citizens are eligible for public office; Political leaders have the right to compete for

votes; Elections are free and fair; All citizens are free to form and join political

parties and other organisations; All citizens are free to express themselves on all

political issues; Diverse sources of information about politics exist

and are protected by law; Government policies depend on votes and other

expressions of preference.

GGovernment based on majority rule and overnment based on majority rule and the consent of the governed; the consent of the governed;

PPolitical pluralismolitical pluralism (multiparty system) and (multiparty system) and freefree, , fair fair and regular and regular elections;elections;

Constitutional limits on governmentConstitutional limits on government Majority rule / minority rightsMajority rule / minority rights Rule of law & eRule of law & equality before the law;quality before the law; Due process. Due process.

FFundamental features of a undamental features of a democracy: democracy:

Accountability and TransparencyAccountability and Transparency Economic FreedomEconomic Freedom Respect to Basis Respect to Basis Human Rights Human Rights Freedom of ExpressionFreedom of Expression Freedom of AssociationFreedom of Association Freedom of ReligionFreedom of Religion

FFundamental features of a undamental features of a

democracy:democracy:

FH ratings are based on questions such FH ratings are based on questions such asas::

Are the legislative representatives elected Are the legislative representatives elected through free and fair elections?through free and fair elections?

Do the people have the right to organize in Do the people have the right to organize in different political parties or other competitive different political parties or other competitive political groupings of their choice, and is the political groupings of their choice, and is the system open to the rise and fall of these system open to the rise and fall of these competing parties or groupings?competing parties or groupings?

Are there free trade unions and peasant Are there free trade unions and peasant organizations or equivalents, and is there organizations or equivalents, and is there effective collective bargaining? Are there free effective collective bargaining? Are there free professional and other private organizations?professional and other private organizations?

FH ratingsFH ratings::

Is there academic freedom, and is the educational Is there academic freedom, and is the educational system free of extensive political indoctrination?system free of extensive political indoctrination?

Does the rule of law prevail in civil and criminal Does the rule of law prevail in civil and criminal matters? Is the population treated equally under the matters? Is the population treated equally under the law? Are police law? Are police and military and military under direct civilian under direct civilian control?control?

Are property rights secure? Do citizens have the Are property rights secure? Do citizens have the right to establish private businesses? Is private right to establish private businesses? Is private business activity unduly influenced by government business activity unduly influenced by government officials, the security forces, or organized crime?officials, the security forces, or organized crime?

More expanded definition:More expanded definition:

Consensus Consensus on basics of society, what are the core on basics of society, what are the core identities and values, for example consensus what identities and values, for example consensus what is the territory, who is citizen and who is not, etc.is the territory, who is citizen and who is not, etc.

Basic civic and political rights are respected, particularly freedom of expression, of information and of association. Citizens have the right to express themselves on political matters, without the risk of state punishment. Citizens have the right to seek out alternative sources of information. Citizens have the right to form independent associations, including independent political parties and interest groups.

Liberal democracyLiberal democracy

All democracies are systems in which All democracies are systems in which citizens freely make political decisions by citizens freely make political decisions by majority rule. But rule by the majority is majority rule. But rule by the majority is not necessarily democratic. In a not necessarily democratic. In a democracy majority rule must be democracy majority rule must be combined with guarantees of individual combined with guarantees of individual human rights and the rights of minoritieshuman rights and the rights of minorities..

Right to choseRight to chose

FFree & fair elections. Elections are ree & fair elections. Elections are primarily between different parties, primarily between different parties, political and ideological groupings, but political and ideological groupings, but there are other competitions within the there are other competitions within the democratic society, competition between democratic society, competition between government & press, between civil government & press, between civil society & the government, between society & the government, between central & regional governments. central & regional governments.

Division between the Division between the executive, legislative and executive, legislative and

juditiary powerjuditiary power

Control over government decisions about Control over government decisions about policy is constitutionally vested in elected policy is constitutionally vested in elected representatives. Elected representatives representatives. Elected representatives exercise their constitutional powers without exercise their constitutional powers without facing overriding opposition from unelected facing overriding opposition from unelected officials. Elected representatives have officials. Elected representatives have effective control over State force, whether effective control over State force, whether civilian or military. Independent judiciary and civilian or military. Independent judiciary and legal profession, and investigative forces legal profession, and investigative forces operating under rules designed to ensure operating under rules designed to ensure impartiality and integrity.impartiality and integrity.

Rue of lawRue of law

SStatetate,, including policy-makers, including policy-makers, ministerial ministerial civil civil servants, and members servants, and members of the repressive apparatus (army, of the repressive apparatus (army, police) as well as economic elites must police) as well as economic elites must obey rules.obey rules.

InclusionInclusion, , non-non-discrimination, respect to discrimination, respect to

minority rightsminority rights If parts of the society (some minorities) are If parts of the society (some minorities) are

excluded, we do not have democracy. Citizens excluded, we do not have democracy. Citizens should be able to exercise their rights in a should be able to exercise their rights in a democracy without any discrimination as to democracy without any discrimination as to race, color, sex, language, religion, political or race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. property, birth or other status. DDemocratic state emocratic state encourage and invest in encourage and invest in the the participation if participation if minoritiesminorities. E. Equal chances are important qual chances are important characteristic of democracy. This means characteristic of democracy. This means providing practical help to overcome obstacles providing practical help to overcome obstacles of status and/or condition.of status and/or condition.

Good governanceGood governance

Institutions work well, they are efficient, they Institutions work well, they are efficient, they deliver in a reasonably long and predictable deliver in a reasonably long and predictable time what they are instituted for, and they time what they are instituted for, and they serve broader public interests not private or serve broader public interests not private or particular interests. When we say institutions, particular interests. When we say institutions, we mean primarily governmental, state we mean primarily governmental, state institutions (government, judiciary, police, institutions (government, judiciary, police, prosecutors, infrastructure, educational prosecutors, infrastructure, educational system, health care and social services system, health care and social services system etc).system etc).

Transparency and Transparency and accountabilityaccountability

Transparency involves the public having Transparency involves the public having access to reliable information on how access to reliable information on how those who exercise public power use it, those who exercise public power use it, especially their use of public resources. especially their use of public resources. Accountability involves those who Accountability involves those who exercise powers of government being exercise powers of government being answerable to elected representatives for answerable to elected representatives for their actions, as well as being responsible their actions, as well as being responsible before the law.before the law.

Participation is also a Participation is also a necessary necessary

Citizens cannot be required to take part in the Citizens cannot be required to take part in the political process, and they are free political process, and they are free not to not to participatparticipatee. However, a healthy democracy . However, a healthy democracy requires the active, freely chosen participation requires the active, freely chosen participation of citizens in public life. Democracies flourish of citizens in public life. Democracies flourish when citizens are willing to participate in when citizens are willing to participate in public debate, elect representatives and join public debate, elect representatives and join political parties. Without this broad, political parties. Without this broad, sustaining participation, democracy begins to sustaining participation, democracy begins to wither and become the preserve of small, wither and become the preserve of small, select groups.select groups.

Democratic political culture Democratic political culture

A democratic political culture is also crucial A democratic political culture is also crucial for functioning and sustainability of for functioning and sustainability of democracy. A culture of passivity and apathy, democracy. A culture of passivity and apathy, an obedient citizenry, are not consistent with an obedient citizenry, are not consistent with democracy. The electoral process periodically democracy. The electoral process periodically divides the population into winners and divides the population into winners and losers. A democratic political culture implies losers. A democratic political culture implies that the losing parties and their supporters that the losing parties and their supporters accept the judgment of the voters, and allow accept the judgment of the voters, and allow for the peaceful transfer of power. for the peaceful transfer of power.

Economist categorization:Economist categorization:

Full democraciesFull democracies: : BBasic political freedoms and civil asic political freedoms and civil liberties areliberties are respectedrespected. P. Political culture olitical culture is is conducive conducive to theto the flourishing of democracy. The functioning of flourishing of democracy. The functioning of government is satisfactory. Media are independent government is satisfactory. Media are independent and diverse. There is an effective system of checks and diverse. There is an effective system of checks and balances. The judiciary is independent and and balances. The judiciary is independent and judicial decisions are enforced. judicial decisions are enforced.

Flawed democraciesFlawed democracies: These countries also have free : These countries also have free and fair elections and even if there areand fair elections and even if there are problems problems (such as infringements on media freedom), basic civil (such as infringements on media freedom), basic civil liberties will be respected.liberties will be respected. However, there are However, there are significant weaknesses in other aspects of democracy, significant weaknesses in other aspects of democracy, including problems in governance, an including problems in governance, an underdeveloped political culture and low levels of underdeveloped political culture and low levels of political participation.political participation.

Hybrid regimes:Hybrid regimes: Elections Elections are not are not free and fair. free and fair. Government pressure on opposition parties and Government pressure on opposition parties and candidates. Serious weaknesses in political candidates. Serious weaknesses in political culture, functioning of government and political culture, functioning of government and political participation. Corruption participation. Corruption is is widespread and the widespread and the rule of law is weak. Civil society is weak. Typically rule of law is weak. Civil society is weak. Typically there is harassment of and pressure on journalists, there is harassment of and pressure on journalists, and the judiciary is not independent.and the judiciary is not independent.

Authoritarian regimes:Authoritarian regimes: PPolitical pluralism is absent olitical pluralism is absent or heavily or heavily limitedlimited.. Elections, if they do occur, are Elections, if they do occur, are not free and fair. There is disregard for abuses of not free and fair. There is disregard for abuses of civil liberties. Media are state-owned or controlled civil liberties. Media are state-owned or controlled by groups connected to the ruling regime. There is by groups connected to the ruling regime. There is repression of criticism of the government and repression of criticism of the government and censorship. There is no independent judiciary.censorship. There is no independent judiciary.

Types of GovernmentsTypes of Governments

Absolute monarchy – ruled by one person who Absolute monarchy – ruled by one person who passes on the power to rule in his or her family passes on the power to rule in his or her family (the leader (the leader is is the king or queen)the king or queen);;

Constitutional monarchy – there is a king or Constitutional monarchy – there is a king or queen, but his/her powers are limited and listed in queen, but his/her powers are limited and listed in the constitution; most of the political decisions are the constitution; most of the political decisions are made by the elected governmentmade by the elected government;;

Republic – there is no king or queen; rule is by the Republic – there is no king or queen; rule is by the people – there may be an elected government, a people – there may be an elected government, a one-party government, or a military governmentone-party government, or a military government;;

Democratic – the government is elected. Democratic – the government is elected.

Presidential Democracy – the leader of the country is Presidential Democracy – the leader of the country is directly elected by the citizensdirectly elected by the citizens

Parliamentary Democracy – the citizens vote for the Parliamentary Democracy – the citizens vote for the parties that will be in Parliament, and the Parliament parties that will be in Parliament, and the Parliament votes on who will be the prime minister (usually the votes on who will be the prime minister (usually the head of the party which won the most votes)head of the party which won the most votes)

Military regime –the top Military regime –the top military military leaders rule the leaders rule the countrycountry

Dictatorship – one person rules the countryDictatorship – one person rules the country. . TTechnically, a dictatorship means rule by one echnically, a dictatorship means rule by one person, but people often use military person, but people often use military or one-party or one-party dictatorshipdictatorship..