Election

Definitions of democratic elections

In theory, the authority of the government in democracies derives solely from the consent of the governed. The principal mechanism for translating that consent into governmental authority is the holding of free and fair elections.

Related Topics:
Theory - Government

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There is a broad consensus as to what kind of elections can be considered free and fair. Jeane Kirkpatrick, scholar and former United States ambassador to the United Nations, has offered this definition: "Democratic elections are not merely symbolic....They are competitive, periodic, inclusive, definitive elections in which the chief decision-makers in a government are selected by citizens who enjoy broad freedom to criticize government, to publish their criticism and to present alternatives."

Related Topics:
Jeane Kirkpatrick - United States - Ambassador - United Nations - Citizens

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Democracy Watch (International) website, further defines fair democratic elections as, "Elections in which great care is taken to prevent any explicit or hidden structural bias towards any one candidate, aside from those beneficial biases that naturally result from an electorate that is equally well informed about the various assets and liabilities of each candidate". This was more formally stated in 2000 by Chief Justice Murray Gleeson of the Australian High Court as "The democratic and lawful means of securing change, if change be necessary, is an expression of the will of an informed electorate."

Related Topics:
Democracy Watch (International) - Electorate - 2000 - Chief Justice - Murray Gleeson - Australian High Court

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The apparently simple requirement of an informed electorate is difficult to achieve in modern electorates with thousands of voters, most of whom have no prospects of knowing candidates other than by information published by third parties. The party with the most immediate interest in having structural biases is the government conducting the election. One possible result is the 'show' elections described below.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Some other scholars argue that elections are at most secondary to a functioning democracy. They argue that the rule of law is more important. An example would be pre-unification Hong Kong, which was ruled by an unelected British administrator but was generally considered to be a free and open society due to its strong legal institutions.

Related Topics:
Rule of law - Hong Kong - British - Administrator

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~