Everyone’s Choice to Live In a Democracy

There are so many definitions of the word “Democracy”, that one can get lost. There are short, long, depended on history, different variations because of government’s types etc. Throughout this specter, I want to begin with a simple one – a citizen’s definition.

I asked my mother and some friends, who live in a democratic state, and I found pretty similar explanation of this word. For them, democracy is a possibility to speak out without a fear of being guilty; when you have a right to choose, to live the way you want, but within reasonable limits, not like in anarchy; it is more about relationships between government and citizens, that are built on trust.

However, let’s check the more certain and right definition of this word.

Democracy, literally translated from Greek as “rule by people”, is a system of government in which the citizens gain power by voting. In addition, we can perceive democracy as a system of processing conflicts, which consequences are depended on what citizens choose and do, but no “pure and single” force controls the situation.

Get quality help now

Dr. Karlyna PhD

Verified writer

Proficient in: Democracy

4.7 (235)

“ Amazing writer! I am really satisfied with her work. An excellent price as well. ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

There are also three main types of democracy, about what I will briefly tell:

Direct democracy, which is also known as pure democracy, is a form of government, where all laws are created by direct participation of citizens.

Representative democracy is the system, in which citizens elect representatives among themselves, who then rule the voting.

Constitutional democracy protects and respects the rights of minority and individuals, limiting the powers of the majority, provides freedom of speech.

After this, I decided to create my own thought about it. Especially for me, the main aspect of democracy is freedom. It begins from the freedom of thinking, of creating your own opinion, which then growth to your speech and your vote. It is easier for me to explain this by elucidating the great quote of Victor Pinchuk: “Art, freedom and creativity will change society faster than politics”. Freedom and the idea are actually the main points in clarifying the definition of democracy. It is about creating and providing it to the great arena, where you can be heard.

In this case, in a democratic world, freedom and creativity actually push politics ahead. It is much easier to understand what the government should give the citizens to avoid the conflicts and anger of nation by listening to them instead of “trying to understand” what people want. People build their future by themselves, creating something bigger than just a state. They build their future on the mistakes they see now, trying to understand why those mistakes are even made and how they should be solved properly. At the same time, citizens gain a moral responsibility for their political decisions. It is not so easy to claim the government for wrong steps when you participate in the legislative process, so citizens start to pay more attention to political science, to stop emotions and let the brain control the actions.

Another great quote, which shows one more aspect of democracy, belongs to Hilary Clinton: “There cannot be true democracy unless women’s voices are heard”. Democracy let all equal citizens, regardless of their race, nationality, gender, and origin participate in political decision-making. How can democracy even exist when not all humans have a right to change the system and take care of their own future? By supporting the equal rights between people, I can name the first reason for not only keeping the democracy alive throughout the world but also providing it further. We need democracy in our modern world to let people speak out, especially those who have been silent for too long.

In addition to the list of advantages, I would add, that it is pretty important for people to fell protected about their interests. The government gets the trust and support from citizens, so it should give a feedback. Not only allow citizens to vote but providing human security. As Roland Paris provided a new concept of security – human security – he meant next: “Human security can be said to have two main aspects. It means, first, safety from such chronic threats as hunger, disease, and repression. And second, it means protection from sudden and hurtful disruptions in the patterns of daily life – whether in homes, in jobs or in communities”. He also marked out seven specific elements, which comprise human security: economic security, food security, health security, environmental security, personal security, community security, and political security. As for me, that is what democracy should provide in a state.

However, I can’t skip the fact, that everything in this world has its good and bad sides, that’s why I want to mention critics against democracy and then compare it to advantages. First of all, it gives a chance for corruption to grow, because elected politicians, using the citizen’s trust, have an access to governmental project’s budget and take this money for their personal interests. In addition, supporters and friends of politicians, who contribute for the election campaign, can also be mutually beneficial. Secondly, it is a question of time. When people should vote for the legislative process, it takes a lot of time and organization, unlike in a monarchical form of government, where the only individual makes the decision. The last one is about dividing. In some cases, democracy doesn’t unite people and make them equal, but divide them by their religion, gender and stratum. Therefore, the political leaders try to make some benefits for a certain group of citizens and align then against others, so they can rule the country, which is actually not right.

To sum up, I want to mention that there are more pros than cons in democracy, which is why I’m absolutely sure, that we need it in our world. It is the most perfect way to give citizens a chance to rule the country they live in and stop blaming others for their decisions. I can only add, that government should explain clearly their ideas, laws, and projects, so people can understand what they except and for what they vote, so there are no disagreements between citizens and politicians.