Democracy

Essential elements of a democracy

Democracy as a form of government always has the following characteristics:

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• there is a demos, a group which makes political decisions by some form of collective procedure. Non-members of the demos do not participate. In modern democracies the demos is the nation, and citizenship is usually equivalent to membership.
• there is a territory where the decisions apply, and where the demos is resident. In modern democracies, the territory is the nation-state, and since this corresponds (in theory) with the homeland of the nation, the demos and the reach of the democratic process neatly coincide. Colonies of democracies are not considered democratic in themselves, if they are governed from the colonial motherland: demos and territory do not coincide.
• there is a decision-making procedure, which is either direct (for instance a referendum) or indirect (for instance election of a parliament).
• the procedure is regarded as legitimate by the demos, implying that its outcome will be accepted. Political legitimacy is the willingness of the population to accept decisions of the state (government and courts), which go against personal choices or interests. It is especially relevant for democracies, since elections have both winners and losers.
• the procedure is effective in the minimal sense that it can be used to change the government, assuming there is sufficient support for that change. Showcase elections, pre-arranged to re-elect the existing regime, are not democratic.
• the demos has a long-term unity and continuity, from one decision-making round to the next - without secession of the minority.
• in the case of nation-states, the state must be sovereign: democratic elections are pointless if an outside authority can overrule the result.

Voting as a ritual

Voting is not in itself a sufficient condition for the existence of democracy. Elections have often been used by authoritarian regimes or dictatorships to give a false sense of democracy. Historical examples include the USSR under the CPSU before its collapse in 1991, Iraq under Saddam Hussein, and the Philippines under Ferdinand Marcos.

Related Topics:
Authoritarian - Dictatorship - USSR - CPSU - Collapse - 1991 - Iraq - Saddam Hussein - Philippines - Ferdinand Marcos

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This can happen in a variety of different ways:

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• restrictions on who is allowed to stand for election, because of their race, social status, or beliefs
• voting which is not truly free and fair (e.g., through intimidation of those voting for particular candidates)
• falsification of the results
• restrictions on the formal amount of power that elected representatives are allowed to hold, like amending the constitution
• restrictions on the true amount of power that elected representatives are allowed to hold

Political legitimacy and 'democratic culture'

All forms of government depend on their political legitimacy, that is, their acceptance by the population. Without that, they are little more than a party in a civil war, since their decisions and policies will be resisted, probably by force. Apart from those with anti-statist objections, such as anarchists and libertarians, most people are prepared to accept that governments (as such) are necessary. Failure of political legitimacy in modern states is usually related to separatism and ethnic or religious conflicts, rather than political differences. However there are historical examples, notably the Spanish Civil War, where the population split along political lines.

Related Topics:
Political legitimacy - Civil war - Anarchists - Libertarians - Separatism - Spanish Civil War

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In a democracy, a high degree of political legitimacy is necessary, because the electoral process periodically divides the population into 'winners' and 'losers'. A successful democratic political culture implies that the losing parties and their supporters accept the judgment of the voters, and allow for the peaceful transfer of power - the concept of a "loyal opposition". Ideally political competitors may disagree, but acknowledge the other side's legitimate role, and ideally society encourages tolerance and civility in public debate. This form of political legitimacy implies that all sides share common fundamental values. Voters must know that the new government will not introduce policies they find totally abhorrent. Shared values, rather than democracy as such, guarantee that.

Related Topics:
Electoral process - Loyal opposition - Values

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For countries without a strong tradition of democratic majority rule, the introduction of free elections alone has rarely been sufficient to achieve a transition from dictatorship to democracy; a wider shift in the political culture and gradual formation of the institutions of democratic government are needed. This is an especially difficult cultural shift to achieve in nations where transitions of power have historically taken place through violence. There are various examples (i.e., Revolutionary France, modern Uganda and Iran) of countries that were able to sustain democracy only in limited form until wider cultural changes occurred to allow true majority rule.

Related Topics:
Revolutionary France - Uganda - Iran

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