What is Democracy? Why Democracy?

1.1 WHAT IS DEMOCRACY?

The government is chosen by the people.

Democracy is a form of government in which the rulers are elected by the people.

MYANMAR - Army rulers were not elected by the people → those who happened to be in control of the army became the rulers of the country → people had no say in this decision.

CHILE - Dictators like Pinochet were not elected by people

SAUDI ARABIA - The kings rule not because the people have chosen for them to do so but because they happen to be born into the royal family.

1.2 FEATURES OF DEMOCRACY

• Who are the rulers in this definition?

• What kind of election constitutes a democratic election?

• Who are the people that can elect rulers or get elected as rulers?

• What kind of a form of government is democracy?

PAKISTAN - general pervez musharraf led a military coup in october 1999 → he overthrew a democratically elected government → declared himself as ‘chief executive’ → later changed his designation to ‘president’ → in 2002 held a referendum in the country that granted him a 5 year extension → pakistani media, human rights organisations and democratic activists said that the referendum was based on malpractices and fraud → in August 2002 he issued legal framework order that amended the constitution of Pakistan → the president can dismiss the national and provincial assemblies → work of the civilians is supervised by national security council which is dominated by military officers → elections were held to form national and provincial assemblies → elected representatives had some power → the final power rested with military officers and general pervez musharraf himself.

In a democracy the final decision-making power must rest with those elected by the people.

CHINA - elections are held regularly every 5 years to elect the countries parliament → known as Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui (National Peoples Congress) → NPC has the power to appoint the president of the country → nearly 3000 members elected from all over china → some members are elected by the army → before contesting a candidate needs approval of the Chinese Communist Party → in 2002-03 only members of the Chinese Communist Party or its eight smaller allied parties were allowed to contest elections → government is always formed by the Communist Party

MEXICO - independence in 1930 → hold elections every 6 years to elect its president → country has never been under a military or dictators rule → until 2000 every election was won by a party called PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) → opposition did contest elections → known to use dirty tricks to win the elections → all those employed in government offices were forced to attend its party meetings → teachers of government schools forced parents to vote for PRI → Media ignored the activities of opposition political parties except to criticise them → sometimes polling booths were shifted at the last minute which made it difficult for people to cast their votes → PRI spent a large sum of money in campaign for its candidates.

A democracy must be based on a free and fair election where those currently in power have a fair chance of losing.

struggle for democracy was linked to demand of universal adult franchise → principle had become widely accepted.

SAUDI ARABIA - until 2015 women did not have the right to vote

ESTONIA - made citizenship rules such that people belonging to russian minority find it difficult to get the right to vote

FIJI - electoral system where vote of an indigenous fiji has more value than that of an indian-fijian.

In a democracy each adult citizen must have one vote and each vote must have one value.

ZIMBABWE - zimbabwe attained independence from white minority rule in 1980 → since then the country has been ruled by ZANU-PF the party that led the freedom struggle → its leader Robert Mugabe ruled the country → elections were held regularly and always won by ZANU=PF → president mugabe was popular but used unfair practices → over the years his government changed the constitution several times to increase the powers of the president and make him less accountable → opposition party workers were harassed and their meetings disrupted → public protests and demonstrations against the government was declared illegal → there was a law that limited the right to criticise the president → television and radio was controlled by the government and favoured the ruling party → journalists of independent newspapers were harassed → government ignored some court judgements that went against it and pressurised judges → he was forced out of the office in 2017.

Popular leaders can be undemocratic or autocratic → important to look at the elections but also before and after as well → sufficient room for normal political activity including political opposition in the period before elections → requires state should respect some of the basic rights of the citizen → free to think, have opinions, express them in public, to form associations, to protest and take other political actions → everyone should be equal before law → rights must be protected by an independent judiciary whose orders are obeyed by everyone → after winning the elections it cannot do whatever it pleases just because they have won the elections → has to respect some basic rules → it has to respect some guarantees to the minorities → every decision has to go through a series of consultation → every office-bearers carry certain responsibilities → each of these is accountable not only to the people but also tho independent officials

A democratic government rules within limits set by constitutional law and citizens rights

ARGUMENTS AGAINST DEMOCRACY -

• Leaders keep changing in a democracy → this leads to instability.

• Democracy is all about political competition and power play → there is no scope for morality

• So many people have to be consulted in a democracy that it leads to delays

• Elected leaders do not know the best interest of the people → it leads to bad decisions

• Democracy leads to corruption because it is based on electoral competition.

• Ordinary people do not know what is good for them and their society → they should not decide anything

Democracy has not ended poverty in our country or other parts of the world → it is the only form of government that ensures that people take their own decisions → that does not guarantee that their decisions will always be good → involving people in these decisions leads to delays → it also leads to frequent changes in leadership → this can be a set-back for big decisions and affect the government’s efficiency

ARGUMENTS FOR DEMOCRACY -

Democracy is better than any other form of government in responding to the needs of the people → A non-democratic government may and can respond to the people’s need → depends on the wishes of the people who rule → If the rulers don’t want to, they don’t have to act according to the wishes of the people → A democracy requires that the rulers have to attend to the needs of the people.

• A democratic government is a better government because it is a more accountable form of government.

Democracy involves consultations and discussions → A democratic decision always involves many persons, discussions and meetings → when they work together they are able to point out a number of mistakes in any decision → this takes time it reduces the chance of rash or irresponsible decisions.

• Democracy Improves the quality of decision-making.

• Democracy provides a method to deal with differences and conflicts

different people look at the world differently and have different preferences → this conflict can be solved by brutal power → whichever group is more powerful will dictate its terms and the minority have to accept that → it leads to resentment and unhappiness → democracy provides the only peaceful solution → to this no one is a permanent loser or winner → strongest argument for democracy is not about what democracy does to the government → it is about what democracy does to the citizens.

• Democracy enhances the dignity of citizens.

Democracy is based on the principle of political equality on recognising that the poorest and least educated class has the same status as the rich and educated → people are not subjects of rulers → they are the rulers themselves → when they make a mistake they are responsible for their conduct

• Democracy is better than other forms of government because it allows us to correct our own mistakes