Page 138 - LECTURETTE TOPICS eBOOK

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TOPIC -44

Democracy

Quick points to remember:

• Democracy in general means rule of the people
• According to Wikipedia,” Democracy is a system of government in which
the citizens exercise power directly or elect representatives from among
themselves to form a governing body”
• By definition, democracy is a form of government that is of the people, for
the people and by the people.

Introduction:
Democracy started in Greek cities, notably ancient Athens where people came
together to speak about their concerns and opinions in the presence of their then
rulers. This was the beginning of an era where people started to make decisions
instead of the rulers.

When put to practice, democracy gives people the power to be the voice that needs
to be heard. Instead of one person making all the decisions in a country, democracy
brings the views and interest of all people so that the future of that country can be
decided based on all these collective views.

There are two forms of democracy: Direct and indirect. In a direct democracy, people
govern themselves. Each individual will have a say in every decision made, that
affects the country. Conversely, in representative/ indirect democracy, the
representatives are elected through elections.

Today most democracies are indirect or representative, which means you can’t vote
for a new law yourself but instead you can vote for people who can then make law
and present your interests. It is to note that democracy isn’t just about voting. It is
about everything that protects the best interest of the people no matter what their
race, religion or gender is. These interests can be quality of life, infrastructure, human

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