How People know and use democracy

How People know and use democracy:

Before we explain how people know and use democracy in their countries, we must know the general meaning of this word: A government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually selected by periodically held free elections. Democracy and freedom are the central values of our society. But the definition of ‘democracy’ has come to mean so many different things that we may even find it being senselessly used to term extremely anti-democratic policies. As mere propaganda slogans, it is being utilized by individuals and pressure groups to lend their own private conquest an ever larger share of the people's power. 

The most important function of a new social theory is to provide a rationale, intellectual and moral sanction to what people are already doing or what they want to do, yet don't quite know how because it is at variance with traditional theories and institutions. This social power analysis is intended to serve that purpose for people who are concerned about the concentration and irresponsibility of power in our society. It provides a framework of ideas within which they can create solutions consistent with democratic institutions and ideals. 

Democracy is not just a word repeated by authoritarians and stakeholders.Democracy is a system of government in which a country’s political leaders are chosen by the people in regular, free, and fair elections. In democracy, people have a choice between different candidates and parties who want the power to govern. The people can criticize and replace their elected leaders and representatives if they do not perform well. The people are sovereign; they are the highest authority and government is based on the will of the people. Elected representatives at the national and local levels must listen to the people and be responsive to their needs.

Democracy requires equality of social power. But this doesn't mean that there should be equality between all individuals in income, social position or any other particular form of social power. It merely means that there must be equality in the total complex of social power. Weakness in one form of power must be counter balanced by strength in other forms. On the other hand, in order to prevent any particular part of the government system from grasping excessive power, the builders of the constitution divided power between the legislative, executive and judicial branches, and between the federal, state and local levels of government. Each power center in the system is thus balanced by others with a different focus of power and interests. At the same time making a constitutional charter maintains the required balance, especially among countries that are taking their first step towards democracy. And then people and governments collectively have to draw new features of democracy which should be effectively implemented.

               Hence for a democracy to function efficiently the exercise of political power must respect the law, the constitution, and the will of the people through the decisions of their “elected” legislative representatives. This requires the powers to be separated so that the head of government and its ministers do not have the power to make the law or to interfere in court cases.

Rasha Shaalan 

Egyptian Researcher

Refrences: 1- Full Definition of DEMOCRACY- http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/democracy

2- Democracy: A Social Power Analysis- By Dr. John S. Atlee, with Tom Atlee- http://www.co-intelligence.org/CIPol_democSocPwrAnal.html

3- Some basic principles of Democracy- http://www.stanford.edu/~ldiamond/iraq/DemocracyEducation0204.htm