But democracy is a process, not a state. Countries such as the UK and the US were not true democracies until relatively recently. In the US it was not until that African-Americans in its southern states gained a guaranteed right to vote. Democracy has endured in part due to its ability to accommodate change from below through expansion of voting rights, and greater protection of civil liberties.
By contrast authoritarianism is, by its nature, centralized and limiting of free thought and expression. It can accomplish rapid change, but only ordained from above. Perhaps what has been witnessed in democracies since signals a need for further renewal and evolution of democratic systems. Because the more averse to change democracies become, the more likely it is they will wither.
Democracy has played a vital role in the story of civilization, helping transform the world from power structures of monarchy, empire, and conquest into popular rule, self-determination, and peaceful co-existence. A direct form of democracy was initially practiced in ancient Greece, but there were many slaves in that society, and hardly anyone was a citizen and able to participate. Since then it has been generally understood that modern human history follows a trend towards greater democracy, with some scholars describing the phenomenon taking place in three waves.
The first wave , between the late 18th century and , saw the American, French, and Haitian revolutions, the gradual emergence of democracy in Britain, Bolivarian revolutions establishing democracies in South America, and the break-up of German, Ottoman, and Austro-Hungarian empires after World War 1 into democratic republics.
The second wave , between and , saw the reorganization of the defeated axis powers Germany, Italy, and Japan into strong democracies, and decolonization unfolding across the world, creating independent and largely democratic nations. The third wave from to , saw the end of dictatorships in Portugal, Spain, and Brazil, democratic transitions in Taiwan and South Korea, and the eventual collapse of the USSR, creating free, democratic, Eastern European states.
The number of African countries that have adopted democratic systems of government has grown since decolonisation, the collapse of communism and the ending of a number of civil wars.
Some countries, such as Ghana , are seen as resilient democracies, while for others the democratic transition is more fragile — after months of pro-democracy protests in in Sudan , a civilian-led transitional government is now paving the way for democracy after decades of military rule.
African states and societies are grappling with the dual complex challenges of democratizing and developing their economies — in the context of the most diverse continent in the world with some of its least developed countries.
So progress towards democratic consolidation is not linear and is threatened by populism, authoritarian leaders and divided societies. The COVID pandemic has given rise to authoritarian opportunism but in Freedom House had already noted steep declines in freedoms in 22 African countries, especially in West Africa.
Some argue that development and poverty reduction should be prioritized over democracy. However, demand for democracy and political freedoms in Africa remains high, if often disappointed, as Afrobarometer data show. Positive changes to bring about or protect democracy in Malawi and Sudan for example, have been led by young people, women and increasingly well-established civil society groups and journalists.
One principle of democracy is that all people are equal in the eyes of the law, and every person gets a vote. For example, Canada has a universal franchise decree in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which explicitly allows every citizen of Canada the right to vote in any Canadian election. Preventing abuse of power. In democracies, people in authority are usually elected by people who vote them in.
They are therefore responsible for carrying out the will of those who elected them. Creating stability. Democracies have rules and laws that provide stability and protect human rights see our guide on Understanding human rights to find out more. Democratic governments have time to make changes that are in the interests of everyone. What are the problems with democracy? Some of the most common complaints about democracy include: Not everyone exercises their right to vote. In some countries, like Australia, voting is mandatory by law for certain elections - but this is not the case in other democratic countries.
Although everyone living in a democracy has the right to vote at a certain age , not everyone actually does it, which means that in the end, not every voice gets heard. Not everyone has the right to vote. In some democratic countries, there are laws that stop some people from voting. For example, the Representation of the People Act in the UK prevents people who have been convicted of crimes from voting while they are in prison.
Decisions can take a long time. The process of changing laws and making decisions about the country has to go through various stages of voting before they come into effect. This means that carrying out what people want often takes a long time. For example, the United States has an extensive process in which a bill first draft of a law before it is passed must be supported by several levels of government, such government committees, congress members, public officials, and the executive office.
Not everyone who votes is well-informed. Although ordinary citizens are asked to vote on essential issues or who should make decisions for them, not everyone has the specialist knowledge required to understand the full implications of their vote. And of course, politicians themselves often spread misinformation during campaigns, which only makes it harder to stay well-informed of issues. For example, following the Brexit referendum which saw the majority of the British public vote to leave the EU, GoogleTrends noted a huge spike in search requests on what would happen if Britain were to leave.
Why is democracy important for young people? Such a form of government ensures a good opportunity for the overall growth and well-being of its citizens The significance of Democracy is as below: a. Rate this question : How useful is this solution? Daily Report Card. Detailed Performance Evaluation. Home Class 10th Question.
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