Week 16-17: Democracy Flashcards
Democracy is defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as:
“a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections”
demos
“the people”
kratos
“power” or “strength”
The following are some of the historical political events and practices that became the basis and inspiration for democracy as we know it today:
Athenian Democracy, The Roman Republic and The Magna Carta
Basically, there are two main types of democracy:
direct democracy and representative democracy
a type of democracy where members can directly or personally participate in dialogue and decision making.
direct democracy
a vote by the electorate
referendum
all people who are entitled to vote
electorate
a type of democracy where officials are elected by the citizens to act in their behalf
representative democracy
Representative democracy can be further categorized into 2 systems:
These are parliamentary and presidential
citizens elect members of the parliament, which is the main legislative (law-making) body. The members of the political party(groups of politicians with the same political beliefs) with the highest number of elected representatives select a prime minister, which is the highest political position. The prime minister assumes leadership responsibilities while still acting as a member of the parliament.
parliamentary system
political party
groups of politicians with the same political beliefs
citizens elect a president who serves as head of state AND leader of the government. The government itself is usually divided into three branches namely the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch.
presidential democracy
The following some of the most basic and important human rights that democracy guarantees for its citizens:
Freedom of expression Freedom of religion Freedom of assembly Right to equal protection of the law Right to due process and fair trial
the right of every citizen to express his opinions without being censored or suppressed by others. This right is essential in a democracy because public opinion is a major deciding factor in almost every issue
Freedom of expression
the right of every person to choose which religion or belief system to follow. This right also guarantees the freedom to worship or conduct religious practices. At the same time, the freedom of religion also protects any person from being forced to follow any religion or belief system against his or her will
Freedom of religion
the right of citizens to come together with the goal of expressing, promoting and defending their ideas. This right also gives citizens the freedom to peacefully protest and express their grievances.
Freedom of assembly
This right states that every citizen is considered equal under the law. This means that laws should not discriminate people based on gender, religion, wealth, ethnicity, etc.
Right to equal protection of the law
This right states that the government cannot take away a person’s life, freedom, or property without the due process of law. This right also gives anyone who is accused of a crime the right to a fair trial in the court of law. Basically, the government cannot imprison, punish, or kill anyone without proper legal basis
Right to due process and fair trial
The following are the responsibilities of the citizens in pretty much every democratic country:
Obeying laws
Paying taxes
Voting
a group of people who are responsible for deciding the outcome of a court trial based on facts and evidences presented in court.
jury
