Systems of Knowledge Flashcards

Topic 1: Development of Democracy

Democracy: Belief in freedom and equality; government where power is held by elected representatives or directly by the people. It requires the protection of minority rights, free and fair elections, and the rule of law.
Citizenship: Membership in a country with associated rights and responsibilities. Citizens are expected to participate in their communities and respect the laws of the state.
Ancient Athens:
- Before democracy, Greeks practiced oligarchy (rule by a few) and aristocracy (rule by the best).
- Polis: A typical structure of a community in the ancient Greek world. A polis consisted of an urban centre, often fortified and with a sacred centre built on a natural acropolis or harbour, which controlled a surrounding territory (chora) of land. The polis was the centre of political and social life.
- Cleisthenes (c. 570 – c. 508 BCE): divided Athens into ten districts (poleis) and formed the Council of ‘Five Hundred’ to prevent oligarchs from taking power. His reforms are considered the foundation of Athenian democracy.
- Pericles (495–429 BCE): Advocated democracy, emphasizing individual freedom and civic participation. Pericles also introduced payment for jury service, enabling poorer citizens to participate in political life.
- Critics: Socrates and Plato argued that government should be entrusted to the skilled and intelligent minority, as they believed that the general populace was too easily swayed by emotion and lacked the necessary knowledge to govern effectively.

Topic 2: Modern Democracy Principles

Citizen participation: Involvement in decision-making at all levels of government and society.
Communication: Two-way consultative process between the government and its citizens, ensuring that policies are informed by public opinion and feedback.
Political tolerance: Respect for minority interests and the rights of all individuals to express their views without fear of reprisal.
Accountability: Elected leaders answer to citizens for their actions and decisions, ensuring that they act in the public interest.
Transparency: Public scrutiny of leaders' actions and decisions, ensuring that they are open and accessible to the public.
Regular, free and fair elections: Citizens can choose leaders in a system where every vote counts equally and without coercion.
Economic freedom: Economic independence to prevent abuse, allowing citizens to pursue their economic interests without undue interference from the government.
Control of the abuse of power: Checks and balances among the different branches of government to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.
Bill of rights: Protects citizens from government abuse by enshrining fundamental rights and freedoms in a written document.
Accepting election results: Peaceful transfer of power, respecting the outcome of elections even when the results are not favorable.
Human rights: Protection of rights and freedoms, ensuring that all individuals are treated with dignity and respect.
Multi-party system: Alternatives and checks on power, allowing for a diversity of political views and preventing any one party from dominating the political landscape.
Neutrality of state institutions: Impartial police and army, ensuring that these institutions serve all citizens equally and without bias.
Rule of law: Equal enforcement of laws for all citizens, regardless of their social status or political affiliation.

Topic 3: Direct and Indirect Democracy

Direct Democracy:
- Referendums: Direct vote on specific issues, allowing citizens to express their views on important policy questions.
- Citizen Initiatives: Electorate initiates votes on issues, empowering citizens to bring important issues to the forefront.
Indirect Democracy:
- Representative Democracy: Citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf, allowing for more efficient governance in larger and more complex societies.

Topic 4: The Constitution

Constitution: Principles governing a state/organization, upholding people's rights and providing a framework for government.

Establishes the fundamental principles and laws of a nation, state, or social group.
Determines the powers and duties of the government.
Guarantees certain rights to the people in it.

Separation of powers: Division of legislative, executive, and judicial functions among separate branches of government to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.

Legislative Branch: Responsible for making laws (e.g., Parliament).
Executive Branch: Responsible for enforcing laws (e.g., President/Prime Minister and Cabinet).
Judicial Branch: Responsible for interpreting laws (e.g., Courts).

Maltese Constitution: Governs the state and upholds the rights of people, providing a legal framework for the country's governance.

It is the supreme law of Malta.
Defines the structure and powers of the Maltese government.
Protects the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals in Malta.
Can only be amended by a special majority in Parliament, ensuring stability and respect for the rule of law.

Key Influences:

John Locke:
- Advocated for natural rights: life, liberty, and property.
- Believed that the government's legitimacy comes from the consent of the governed.
Montesquieu:
- Expanded on the idea of separation of powers to prevent tyranny.
- Argued that different branches of government should check each other's power.
U.S. Constitution:
- A model for many modern constitutions.
- Emphasizes the principles of federalism, separation of powers, and protection of individual rights through a Bill of Rights.

Topic 5: Democratic Structures

Structure: Arrangement and relationships of parts within a system.
Regional: Local Government
- Local Councils Act (1993): Established local councils in Malta, bringing government closer to the people and allowing for more localized decision-making.
- Councillors elected every three years, ensuring regular turnover and accountability to the local community.
National: Maltese Parliament
- Accountable to the people through regular elections and parliamentary scrutiny.
- Single Transferable Vote (STV) system, ensuring proportional representation and a diversity of voices in Parliament.
Supranational: European Union (EU)
International: United Nations (UN)

Topic 6: Impact of Globalisation

Globalisation: International integration via trade, investments, information, and culture, leading to increased interconnectedness and interdependence among nations.

Topic 7: Human Rights

Human Rights: Rights inherent to all, universal, inalienable, and indivisible, regardless of their social status or political affiliation.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR): Established in 1948 as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations.
Civil Rights: Restrict government powers (e.g., freedom of speech), protecting individuals from undue interference by the state.
Political Rights: Participation in government (e.g., right to vote), allowing citizens to shape the policies and direction of their government.
Economic and Social rights: social security and right to work in a safe environment, right to earn appropriate pay, right to adequate housing
Cultural Rights: right to diversity