What is Democracy?

Last Updated on October 21, 2020

What is Democracy?

  • Democracy means the government of the people, by the people and for the people.
  • The word is derived from two Greek words ‘demos’ and ‘kratos’ which literally mean ‘people’ and ‘rule’ respectively.
  • Democratic government means it is ruled by the citizens of the society.
  • People have the right to express their opinions on issues.

What is Democracy?: (Short Essay)

Democratic Government is defined by Abraham Lincoln as a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Government representatives are voted by the people through election. In a democratic government, everyone has equal political rights, irrespective of race, religion, and social class. While the majority party takes the decisions for the state, individual rights and freedom of speech of the citizens are also preserved simultaneously. The term of office of the law makers is limited with a certain restriction on their powers.

What is Democracy?: (Brief Essay)

Democracy is known as the institutionalization of freedom. Abraham Lincoln states it as the government of the people, by the people and for the people. The representatives or the government are elected by the citizens. Everyone has equal rights to their freedom of speech and opinion. People are given common rights and freedom, irrespective of their race, religion, and class.

History of Democracy:

The first democratic government came into practice in Greece. During the Middle Ages, feudalism form of government allowed people to preserve their rights through courts proceedings. After that, a British document named the Magna Carta held 63 clauses, allowing people to experience fair trial. Democracy also gave people more power than before. A proper democratic government was created in the USA after Thomas Jefferson’s “Declaration of Independence” in 1776.

There are different types of democracy – Direct Democracy and Representative Democracy. Direct democracy means citizens are involved directly in a voting of all matters. All decisions made by the legislative government body is accepted or rejected by the citizens themselves. This type of democracy is suited for small states. Switzerland is an example of direct democratic government.

Representative democracy holds elections and people select their representatives. These elected representatives vote for decisions in the legislative assembly on people’s behalf. India and USA are examples of representative democracy as people elect their government officials for their constituencies.