Democracy

Athurs, Latvia


One of my challenges in Sailing Democracy 2017 was to ask at least 8 participants about “What is  the perfect democratic society for you?”, and here are the answers:
Ersi:
“I think my answer is a democracy based on equity, respect and acceptance for being different or special”
Mona:
“hmmm it's a very good question .. I'm socialist but there has to be a very strict leader and very strict rules on how to behave and if everyone does not contribute to society, they also do not have the help / support of society eg if you choose to get a big tattoo in your head and therefore can not get a job you are not part of society”
Emre:
“In my perfect democratic society people have to believe in three main rules. First of all, as long as the individual does not intervene in any one, they have the freedom to do whatever they want. Secondly, what the individuals happened to freely choose to do improves the whole group. Last but no least, all people have to freely choose to hard work, not commit crime, be fair, and not discriminate.”
Isil:
“In my perfect democratic society people have to believe in three main rules. First of all, as long as the individual does not intervene in any one, they have the freedom to do whatever they want. Secondly, what the individuals happened to freely choose to do improves the whole group. Last but no least, all people have to freely choose to hard work, not commit crime, be fair, and not discriminate.”
Katarina:
“A well educated and informed voter population, respecting rights and the freedom of one , direct election.”
Dita:
“My perfect democratic society is one where people have same level of opportunities to excel and reach their goals. In my perfect society corruption does not exist and people's actions are based on honesty and good will. Also, in my perfect democratic society people can express themselves freely without being afraid of the authorities like it is in many other countries nowadays.”

By Marinos

Democracy Pros and Cons Democracy is one of the most widespread political regimes up to date as it has proved to be the most fair. Some of its main advantages are: Democracy promotes equality by establishing rules that apply to everyone while simultaneously protecting and supporting the minorities and people with disabilities. This political system provides people with the freedom of speech; the ability to express themselves as they wish and most importantly form and support their own opinions. It also provides people with the freedom of action ; the freedom to make their own decisions and practise them openly ( as long as they don't go against the law ). However, it is also commonly criticized due to the following reasons : Minority rights are often overlooked or even exploited as democracy follows the majority rule. Promoting a sense of irresponsibility as people's opinions are sometimes overlooked democracy may cause frustration and thus future indifference.

Kommentarer

  1. Pros of Democracy

    Democracy is fairer because it lets the people living in a country decide who is going to rule them. Other systems, such as absolute monarchs, military dictatorships, theocracies, etc. rely on a small clique or cabal of people, or an individual, or arbitrary methods such as hereditary birth for deciding who will rule, bypassing the wishes of the majority of the population.
    Voting is an excellent way to establish legitimacy for a leader, or government in the modern world. This is because he or she can argue the right to being leader, on the grounds of being chosen by the people via an election. This promotes political stability.
    Democracy is an effective way to ensure a smooth transition, when governments and leaders change. Where there is an absolute monarch, or dictator, arguments can often develop as to who is the rightful successor, leading to political strife and even civil war in some cases.
    Democratic systems are good at ensuring openness and keeping a check on corruption. This is because rival political groups are constantly attempting to expose government mistakes and crimes. This level of accountability does not exist in most one-party/autocratic systems, where criticism of the government is often made very difficult.
    The democratic system can act as a safety valve for the discontented. Citizens know that they have a vote and that the leader/government may well change at the next election, so they are less likely to resort to rioting, general strikes, or violent rebellion.
    Democratic governments are less likely to go to war. This is because they generally need the will of the people behind them, whereas an autocrat can often take his/her country to war on a whim.
    Democracy encourages a sense of belonging for its citizens. They can participate fully in the political processes and feel a sense of ownership.

    Cons of Democracy

    There is a tendency towards short-termism. This is because leaders/governments are generally elected to serve over a specific length of time (typically around 4 or 5 years) and concerns over getting re-elected often mean that they often don’t look beyond the next election. Some social, environmental and economic problems require much more long term solutions, however.
    The tyranny of the majority is a constant threat to minority groups, as a leader or government may only serve the interests of the largest social groups and ignore, or even repress the rights of others.
    Some countries argue that their cultural history simply does not lend itself to democratic systems of government and that other forms of government work better. The Western concept has its roots in Ancient Greek and Roman European culture, and may not be suited to Eastern and African countries.
    Democracy can result in unwieldy coalitions, or endless squabbling and political deadlock. Other political systems can find it easier to proceed in a unified direction. It’s argued by some that ancient Rome achieved more under the autocratic Caesars than it did under democratic rule.
    Democracy panders too much to the needs of the individual and encourages people to vote selfishly, thinking purely in their own interests, rather than for what is best for the country as a whole.
    A conflict of interest can sometimes occur, where a politician, or government has to decide between acting in the best interests of the country, and increasing their chances of re-election. Often they will choose the latter.
    Elections take up a lot of time and vast amounts of money can be spent on them. It could be argued that all the millions spent on political adverts might be better spent on other, more beneficial things.
    The democratic process encourages politicians to make promises that they know they can’t keep, in order to be elected. This creates public cynicism and disillusionment in the long run.

    Petros Mathioudakis

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