Democracy
As l would not allow myself to be a slave to someone, neither would l allow myself to be a master to someone but just a leader. Democracy in most cases has been misinterpreted since most people don’t know what it is in real sense. I would define democracy as the government by the people in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by the elected agents under a free electoral system. In simple terms, it can be described as a government of the people, by the people and for the people, (Abraham Lincoln)
In most cases, democracy and freedom has been used to mean the same but to make it clear, democracy is a set of rules, procedures and guidelines that touches on freedom. Freedom is the lack of any restriction to do or say something.
There are two types of democracy; direct and representative. Direct democracy is where citizens participate in decision making without any person coming in between decision making. This is very common for small gatherings for example communities. Representative democracy is where there must be intermediaries when people are making decisions so that they can rule out which ones to be implemented and which ones to be over ruled.
Democracy practice in the ancient world as compared to the ancient world is very different. In ancient world voting in ballot boxes was something nobody would think and may have been thought as primitive as compared to current world. In ancient democracy, l will have a look at Athenian democracy. In Athenian, democracy means, “rule by the people”. Greece consisted of city states whereby they resigned their problems within communities.
In this Greek, there was kingship who made major decisions by incorporation by kinsmen who were the council. Secondly, they had the aristocrats who were financially stable members of the society. If one was well off, he/she would be able to contribute to decision making of the society. Thirdly, there were judges who were appointed members of the council to write down laws and regulations to govern the society. Fourth, there were citizens who were the family members of the aristocrats class who were the elected members of the council. It was a hereditary system. Lastly was the cleistenes and 10 tribes of Athens. Whereby the kingship would choose around 140-200 demes. Each demes had a local assembly and mayo rand all reported to a popular assembly.
In the modern world, democracy is but not limited to influence of the global concepts and socio-economic changes for example; power sharing between social groups and government, political views for example rights, political organizations, voices of the majority and activities of the government to end discrimination based on race, gender, religion, tribe and so on.
Despite the there being ancient or modern systems of democracy, both have their own significance to constitution. The set of rules made on the constitution, preserve, protect and defend both individuals and the country. It gives lime light to the government too on how to govern the country as rulers. It also limits the rule of the rulers over citizens and keeps the balance in check.
In conclusion, as much as democracy is important to this current world, some countries and nations do not implement it for example united nations and some common wealth countries because of their own traditions. All in all, it’s good to embrace democracy because when the regulations implemented are favorable ones, it leads to peaceful running of nations and living styles of the individuals.
References
Raaflaub, Kurt A., Josiah Ober. And Robert Wallace. “Origins of Democracy in Ancient Greece.” Berkeley CA: University of California Press, 2007.
Roper, Brian S. “The History of Democracy: A Marxist Interpretation,” Pluto Press, 2013.