Democracy vs. dictatorship

Democracy is a government of the people, for the people, by the people. In this government, people are the rulers and the ruled. Government is formed through elections. All the adult citizens cast votes and elect their representatives. This democracy is run through their elected representatives. Dictatorship is a form of government in where there’s a centralization of power. All power rests in the hands of one person. The people have no say in what goes on. There aren’t very many similarities between the two; but, both are forms of political control. Democracy and dictatorship both involve a central figure of authority. An example, Obama and Mussolini are both central authoritative figures. Both a democracy and a dictatorship hold some form of elections and both have a form of legislature. Although there are some similarities between these two types of government, the democracy and the dictatorship do differ in many ways. First off in a dictatorship power is achieved and maintained through force. It is the oldest, most common form of government; the responsibility is not to the people. There is more than one form of dictatorship; autocracy is an absolute monarchy, in which the power is given to one single person to govern over a group of people. An oligarchy is members of a ruling class, in which power is shared between a set group of higher class. In a democracy the people are the source of authority. There are five basic principles that the democratic government follows; number one says that the worth of the individual is central to a democracy which in short means, respect for an individual. Number two says that all persons are entitled to equality of opportunity and equality before the law, which means equality for all. Number three says majority will more often be right than wrong, but the majority must recognize the minority which means popular consent. Number four says that a compromise must be made of various views and interests, which sums up to democratic values in conflict. Last but not least number five says that each individual is as free as the law will allow which translates to personal liberties. If you’re focused on efficiency, then a dictatorship is better. No mess about ‘elections’ or ‘voting on the issues’ and stuff. Spending decades in a democracy deciding on an issue is far less efficient than immediate action in a dictatorship.