The word democracy combines two Greek words: demos (people) and kratos (rule). The earliest use of this term was in the middle 5th century bce to refer to the political systems that existed in some Greek city-states, especially Athens. Democracy, as we now understand it, means a form of government ‘of and by the people’ – a government that is more likely to respect individual rights and freedoms, channel disagreement into political compromise and lessen inequality.
Democracy is also more likely to promote the economy and the environment, foster education, health and cultural life and protect human dignity. Moreover, it is generally easier for democracy to establish a fair and impartial legal system that safeguards the rights of all citizens. In contrast, autocratic governments are more likely to suppress freedoms and impose restrictions on their populations.
A defining feature of democracy is that the people get to participate in making laws and public policies, both by voting and through participation in community life. Participation is usually encouraged at the local level, where citizens are more aware of and able to address particular issues. For example, many young people are involved in environmental groups or other protests against war or corporate exploitation. This local participation is an important way to begin developing a sense of responsibility for how policy decisions might affect them.
But the most important aspect of democracy is that people can hold elected representatives to account for their actions. In a democracy, the most important way for ordinary citizens to do this is by voting – but they also have the right to demand transparency and accountability from their elected officials. The most effective democracies are those that encourage voters to be well-informed about the issues being discussed and the positions of those who would govern them. This is difficult, however, because politicians and the media often spread misinformation in their efforts to gain votes, and because the complexity of contemporary issues means that many ordinary citizens have limited specialist knowledge.
As a result, there is room for improvement in the “people” and “power” components of democracy. Many of the struggles for democracy throughout history have concentrated on one or the other, with majorities in every country now saying their democratic system does not allow them to have a voice in politics. The next step in the struggle for democracy is to make sure that everyone can become an active participant, not just by voting once every four or five years but by engaging with politics and policymaking in as many ways as possible – through their local communities, political parties, civic organizations and interest groups. By so doing, the democracy is more likely to work for everybody. To help students consider how best to engage in democracy, post the five picturesOpen in new window depicting various aspects of democracy around your classroom. Then, ask your class to discuss them and, through consensus in a group discussion, arrive at a class definition of democracy. Display it in a visible spot for the remainder of the lesson.