Democracy is a concept with various potential meanings, and it is not simple to grasp or define (Rusell J.Dolton, 2007). Democracy is by far the most difficult form of government, both for politicians and for the people. The term democracy comes from the Greek language and means “government by the (simple) people”. (John Stuart Mill, 1859 p.7) Democracy is a political form of government in which the power of government comes from the people, either by direct referendum (direct democracy) or through elected representatives of the people (representative democracy ). In a direct democracy, all citizens, without the intermediary of elected or appointed officials, can participate in public decision-making. Such a system is obviously only practical with a relatively small number of people – within a community organization or tribal council. Ancient Athens, the world's first democracy, managed to practice direct democracy with an assembly of up to 5,000 to 6,000 people - perhaps the maximum number that could physically gather in one place and practice democracy. direct democracy. Today, the most common form of democracy, whether for a city of 50,000 people or for nations of 50 million people, is representative democracy, in which citizens elect officials to make political decisions , formulate laws and administer programs for the public good. On behalf of the people, these officials can deliberate on complex public issues in a thoughtful and systematic manner that requires an investment of time and energy that is often impractical for the vast majority of citizens. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayDemocracy is more than a set of constitutional rules and procedures that determine how a government functions. In a democracy, the government is only one element coexisting in a social fabric composed of numerous and varied institutions, political parties, organizations and associations. This diversity is called pluralism and assumes that the many organized groups and institutions in a democratic society are not dependent on government for their existence, legitimacy, or authority. Thousands of private organizations operate in a democratic society, some local, others national. Many of them mediate between individuals and the complex social and governmental institutions of which they are a part, fulfilling roles not assigned to government and providing opportunities for individuals to exercise their rights and responsibilities as as citizens of a democracy. These groups represent the interests of their members in a variety of ways: by supporting candidates for public office, debating issues, and trying to influence political decisions. Through such groups, individuals have a means to meaningfully participate in both government and their own community. Examples are many and varied: charities and churches, environmental and neighborhood groups, professional associations and unions. In an authoritarian society, virtually all of these organizations would be controlled, licensed, monitored, or otherwise accountable to the government. In a democracy, the powers of government are, by law, clearly defined and strictly limited. As a result, private organizations escape government control; on the contrary, many of them put pressure on the government and seekto hold him responsible for his actions. Other groups, concerned with the arts, the practice of religious faith, scientific research, or other interests, may choose to have little or no contact with the government. The pillars of democracy The sovereignty of the people. Government based on the consent of the governed.Majority rule.Minority rights.Guarantee of fundamental human rights.Free and fair elections.Equality before the law.Due process.Constitutional limits on government.Social, economic and political pluralism.Values of tolerance, pragmatism, cooperation and compromise. All democracies are systems in which citizens freely make political decisions by majority vote. But majority rule is not necessarily democratic: no one, for example, would call fair or just a system that allows 51 percent of the population to oppress the remaining 49 percent in the name of the majority. . In a democratic society, majority rule must be combined with guarantees of individual human rights which, in turn, serve to protect the rights of minorities, whether ethnic, religious or political, or simply losers in the debate on a controversial issue. legislation. (James David Barber, 1995: p. 32) Minority rights do not depend on the goodwill of the majority and cannot be eliminated by a majority vote. Minority rights are protected because laws and democratic institutions protect the rights of all citizens. Diane Ravitch, academic, author and former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education, wrote in an article written for an educational seminar in Poland: "When a representative democracy operating under a constitution that limits the powers of government and guarantees fundamental rights to all citizens, this form of government is a constitutional democracy. In such a society, the majority rules and the rights of minorities are protected by law and by the institutionalization of law. » There are four main theories of democracy considered essential to democratic governments. These theories focus on individual engagement in the political process, the rationale for government involvement, and how it relates to the needs of society. These are protective, pluralistic, developmental and participatory. Protective Democracy Rooted in liberalism, protective theory believes that government exists to protect the rights of individual citizens. Government involvement in the lives of citizens should be focused on protecting material wealth and maintaining a free market. A protective democracy recognizes that there will be an imbalance of wealth and assumes that the elite will be in power. Large-scale civic engagement is discouraged unless it is linked to the protection of civil liberties. Pluralist theory links democracy to power held by special interests. Pluralists believe that citizens do not want to be involved. Those who get involved do so through small political groups. Government leadership rests in the hands of elected officials, and they are generally considered an elite. Special interest groups play an important role and compete for power in areas related to specific issues and values. According to development theory, citizens are engaged in civic issues and focused on what is best for society as a whole. Democracy is linked to morality. This theory recognizes the need for elected officials, but believes that the people are responsible for selecting and controlling their 1989.