Democracy concepts and principles essay

Democracy refers to as a form of government whereby the citizens have the right to contribute in making decisions that affect their lives. These rights and freedom are demonstrated through their participation in national debates, proposals development and in passage of important laws and legislations (Mulligan 20). Democracy also to some extend encompasses economic, social and cultural aspects, which enable or rather, enhance freedom and equality in making certain choices.

It also ensures that citizens engage in a free and fair process of political systems by choosing their own representative without any harassment whatsoever. Therefore, democracy fosters transparency, equality and freedom to all the citizens of a given state. In terms of its meaning and application, democracy although has no specific definition, has aroused different opinions and arguments among various personalities with some arguing for and some against it.

Democracy is seen as the fundamental principal of upholding the rights of people. The proponents of democracy argue that, through democracy, citizens are accorded the freedom to participate on issues concerning their country enjoying a peaceful coexistence as the rule of law applies (Decker and Lim 170).

Therefore, democracy ensures that equality of all the citizens regardless of their language, color ethnicity or any other attributes that may be used upon a given person to deny him his rights is binding. This form of government is therefore seen as the most preferable for states as it has a big room for autonomy. The democratic form of government seems important in ensuring stability, peace, growth and development of a nation.

Countries, which have different ethnic groups have a higher chance of falling in civil wars because of fight over resources and political leadership. In democratic countries, such instances are minimal as the society coexists on the same level. Such differences for instance ethnicity remain covered in the constitutions, which provide freedom of movement to all citizens and which accords rights of every individual to live everywhere.

Therefore, democracies rarely experience political instability or wars because they are united through well-structured systems, which accord equal rights to the citizen of a given state. Furthermore, democracies remain vital because they give the citizens an opportunity to engage in important issues like legislations that affects them. Such freedom and room ensures that people’s ideas and views are used to form the basis of decisions hence helping in ensuring transparency, farness and justice amongst others.

On the other hand, those against democracy have raised an alarm of certain types of democracies, which do not provide freedom, and equality to their citizens as expected. This arises especially when certain democracies are not well-structured therefore leaving some gaps to be misused by those in power.

For instance, a democracy that is structured in a way that it deny its people from participating in important legislations processes and those whereby some braches of governments interfere with the separation of powers in order for their own favors are not democracies as the repercussions are dreadful. Such democracies are prone to be affected with rampant cases of corruptions, violations of human rights and impunity because of toothless legislative process and protection of certain individuals from facing the rule of law.

Such democracies therefore experience poor governance and therefore do not show any growth or development. Although the majority rule stands out as a phrase used often in democracy, it can also be oppressed by the tyranny of the majority in circumstances where there is absence of constitutional protection and governmental protection of groups and individuals in a given state.

For instance, in democracies, which have a larger majority agreeing to certain issues pertaining to them, they may turn out as oppressive and retrogressive to the minorities.

This clearly demonstrates some weaknesses in democracies implying that democracies lack of perfect per se. Democracy may also be hindered by the people themselves when they do not follow their own conscience or instincts in making decision in political and any legislative processes (Altindag and Mocan 111). There exist various variables influencing their instincts or thoughts like media, and key political leaders making the people to fail exercising their constitutional rights based on their perceptions and opinions.

Such occurrences also demonstrate that democracy is not actually practiced but is just a tool to cover the evils that are being perpetrated by certain governments. An economist like Milton Friedman also criticizes democracies based on its efficiency. For instance, where voters make political decisions without being informed, they remain unaware of many political issues, which make them to be biased on the things or knowledge they posses hence makes decisions which are not well thought out.

Based on the expositions made in the paper, it seems evident that many states stand committed towards attaining democracy. As they crave to attain democracy, it is important for the governments to be aware of what democracy entails in order to be able to uphold to it. The proponents of democracy argue on how it promotes freedom, equality and majority rule, which are good concepts and leadership principles.

On the other hand, democracy has its stinky side if it is not well implemented and structured: it turns out to be a bogus good for nothing form of government. Democracies may misuse their power by using the opportunity to manipulate and oppress the citizens intelligently. It is therefore important that states, which embrace democracy, abide by the rule of law providing leadership that is free from oppression and manipulation as opposed to autonomy and openness.

Altindag, Duha and Mocan, Naci. Joblessness and Perceptions about the Effectiveness Of Democracy. Journal of Labor Research 31. 2 (2010): 99-123.

Decker, Jessica and Lim, Jamus. Democracy and trade: an empirical study. Economics Of Governance 10. 2 (2009): 165-186.

Mulligan, Casey. Social Security and Democracy. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy: Contributions to Economic Analysis & Policy 10 (2010): 1-44, 46.