“Democracy,” in the classical political context, refers to a political system characterized by a constitutional government established by the citizens exercising their right to self-government. ” DEMOCRACY” is an adjective combining the Greek words Demos (a city) andpoleis (a group). Democracies are orderly societies in which freedoms of speech and religion are secured against majority rule and in which checks and balances prevent majoritarian abuse of power. The word “democracia” comes from two Greek words: demos ( demos being the word for the demos of the Romans) and koria (the word for rule). democracy is a form of organized government in which citizens have the sole authority to deliberate over legislation, or to elect leaders to perform this, and also to decide who will be governing officials.
A major problem with representative democracy is that, because most citizens are elected by majority vote, corruption is common. In some countries, popular votes are used in electing leaders, but many countries elect their leaders through free elections that are not fair to the majority of citizens. Under these circumstances, the elected leader often institutes policies that are unpopular and detrimental to the general interest of the citizenry. He may fail to deliver promised services because the interests of those he leads do not necessarily meet the needs and demands of the citizens. When this occurs, the representative generally step down, often with little or no chance of re-election. Representative democracy often leads to autocratic governments in which there are few checks and balances.
As a result of representative democracy, representatives frequently make laws that are distasteful to the majority of citizens, and they rarely get the support of the governed. Because representatives can hardly be chosen based on personal popularity, they frequently pass laws that are unpopular not just with the elected leaders but also with the citizens themselves. Citizens seldom have confidence in representatives because laws are not passed with the understanding that they will be implemented. The general distrust of politicians leads citizens to look for alternatives to a system of government they view as undemocratic and inefficient.
In addition to having too many elected officials, representatives in a democracy may not have proper access to resources they need to conduct successful campaigns. In these cases, citizens turn to organizations that promote elected officials and the services they provide. These organizations usually have an impact on the outcome of elections. Through their political action arm of the society, they try to influence the political process and elect representatives that they see fit to represent them and their views. Some citizens feel that citizens must be forced to take an active role in politics, but this is not the way democracy works.
Democratic societies and nations also have a written constitution that the citizens of that particular country must accept. Written constitutions guarantee rights and freedoms protected in the constitution. Some refer to these as “checks and balances” instead of “republicans controlling the masses.” Some argue that written Constitutions prevent politicians from imposing certain laws that are unneeded and unjustifiable to the majority of citizens because the legislature cannot legally enforce such laws.
Unlike in other societies where elected leaders are chosen by popular votes or through election process based on party popularity, the constitution of a democracy consists of written rules that must be approved by a referendum, which is often controversial and long lasting. In some countries, a constitutional system is regarded as the most stable form of government. However, even in those cases where a constitutional system is in place, there are periodic elections that allow citizens to vote for new leaders. Elected representatives are then selected by people who approve of their performances.