Democracy

"I am a person who is Democratic in nature. I prefer dialogue." These two sentences here are very common to hear in daily routine and we are used to it. Did we ever think what it means? What is Democratic System?

Whenever we hear this word Democracy we often recall a very famous quote by Abraham Lincoln "Democracy is “government of, by and for the people”. We can illustrate through this quote that Democracy is a form of govt., which the rulers are elected by the people.  Is this it ? that's all? No, Democracy in basic nature can be defined in this manner but democracy is much more than this. Democracy is a system of equality, Democracy is a system which makes the establishment accountable. Democracy is a way of life in which we understand and practice equality, we learn to understand the limitations. Democracy in a broader way is a form of government which is accountable to the people, have limitations and boundaries of Law and constitution.

There are many features of democracy through which we can identify that a establishment is a Democracy or not.

First feature states that the authority should always be in hand of the elected leaders by the people. In any condition authority should not be centralized to one group or to one person.

Second feature states that the election, which decides the power holders of the system, should be free and fair. Free and fare clearly means that there should not be any kind of prejudice in the electoral process.

Third feature states that in the election, one vote of one person is valued equally and voting right should be given to every person in given parameter of Law of respective land. There should not be any kind of prejudice involved.

Fourth feature states that the establishment chosen by the people should govern according to the law and should have imitations cited by the constitution of the respective land. Democracy clearly insures the rule is bound by law and have limitations of constitution.

Having this much good attributes in Democracy there are some arguments against it as well. Some say Democratic system is not a stable system. People may choose different leaders in different times to ensure their respective good or the common good, so a system which is not stable can not give efficient governance and the resources can not be used to provide result as required which is true to a extent. Even in India, their was a authority buffer between 1989 and 1999 as country saw 7 oath taking ceremony in just 10 years. Which is a legitimate concern regarding stability of government of Democracy.

Some often question Democracy in a form that it is just a struggle to power, there is no moral ground or the ideological stand of many operating bodies under Democracy, which is also to a extent, right. Because being an unstable system of governance, power is the only key to be safe in the struggle.

There are people who question Democracy on the basis of the Electoral competition, saying that the Democracy in real case is not a moral combat of power as every group just want to be in authority and keep it a ongoing struggle.

Whatsoever is said either in favor of Democracy or against it is all correct to a extent. It is a fact that Democracy is not a solution to every thing and it alone can not solve every problem on the globe. It is also a fact that given alternatives of system of Governance, Democracy is far more accountable, transparent system. Since the origin of Governance and the forms which we have seen, surely Democracy is not a solution of every problem but is solution of many problems.

(Summary: Democratic Politics, Class :- IX, NCERT)