Democracy, Authoritarianism, and Charter Study Notes

Authoritarianism Notes
Authoritarianism is a type of leadership style, where the leaders/government have
complete and total control over the society.

Characteristics:
● Total control over the society
○ Media
○ Job
○ Education
○ Social values
○ Religious beliefs
○ Obedience and control are key to the nations stability and for the
ability of leaders to maintain control
○ Generally speaking these governments are strict, and use the
threat of violence to ensure government policies are followed
● Peoples rights and freedoms are limited
○ No freedom of speech
■ Cannot speak out against the government
○ Lack of equality
○ No voting/if there is voting it is usually unjust and corrupt

★ Government controls media, education, and the internet

○ By controlling information, they control what people think and know
★ Propaganda is often used
★ Power rarely transitions; usually if current leader dies
★ High degree of nationalism
○ Nationalism- a loyalty and love of your nation
○ People who oppose the government are seen as disloyal to the nation
○ Your love of the nation is tied to your love of the leadership
○ Supporters are willing to sacrifice anything (even their own lives) for
the nation and leaders
4 types of authoritarianism:

Dictatorship
● 1 leader with complete control of the population
● Power usually transitions following the death of the leader

Monarchy
● 1 leader
● Usually a king or queen
● Power is passed on through the royal bloodline
● Expensive and very traditional

Oligarchy
● Power in the hands of a few leaders
● Usually occurs following a military coup
● Little transition of power

Aristocracy
● Power is in the hands of the elite, educated and wealthy class
● All policies are designed to help the upper class while lower classes are
exploited and abused

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages Disadvantages
- efficient - no freedom
- decisions are made quickly - no expression of self
- probably economically stable - no choices
- paradise if you believe the reality you’ve - don’t have your opinion heard
been forced to see - little to no advice from others
- not burdened by their worries - less motivated/creative
- peaceful/stable - motivated by fear
- media is controlled so you don’t know what’s
going on in other places
- presence of fear and violence
Democracy Notes
➢ The power lies with the people
○ Voting for leaders
■ Governments must be responsive to the will/desires of the
people
■ Otherwise they will not be re-elected/will be voted
out/replaced
➢ Power must allow for transition between leaders
○ Elections happen every 4 years (in Canada)
➢ Government must reflect the views of the people
➢ Rights and Freedoms are prioritized
○ Expression
○ Mobility
○ Safety
○ voting
○ Etc
➢ Democracy is important
○ People need to be heard
○ People need freedom
○ People need rights
○ Power needs to change to allow for new ideas

What does a country need to have to be a democracy:

★ Elections/voting
○ Fair and not corrupt
○ Multiple candidates/parties
★ Rights and freedoms
○ Human rights
○ Freedom of speech
★ Inclusive
★ Rule of Law
★ Make sure citizens are involved and active
○ Volunteer, protest, hold responsibility over their society
○ Active citizens
Key Features Class Discussion
★ Government power must be limited
○ Voting
○ Separation of the government into 3 parts
■ Legislative
■ Executive
■ Judiciary
○ Constitution (highest law of the entire country)
■ Outlines rights and freedoms, as well as laws
■ Charters job is to protect citizens from the government
■ Limits government's power
★ Fair and independent judiciary system
○ Free from government control
○ Monitors the government’s actions and holds them to the law
○ Laws that ensure rights and fairness in the courts
○ Everyone is innocent until proven guilty
★ Guarantee Rights and Freedoms
○ Voting, speech, to make choices, equality
★ Active Citizens
○ Government must listen and be responsive to the desires of the people
○ Voting
★ Rule of Law
○ No one is above the law, the law applies to everyone
○ Ensures everyone is accountable, even the government, wealthy,
powerful, etc
★ Majority Rules and Minority Rights
○ It’s a balance
○ We must listen to the majority while at the same time we must protect
and uplift the voices of the minority
○ Utilitarianism
★ Common Good
○ Government must act in the interest of the most number of the people
★ Democratic Voting System
○ People must have choice
○ Multiple parties to choose from
○ Government must make policy that suits the people or risk losing
power
★ Active Citizenship
 ○ People must be involved in the societal decisions
○ People have the right to express when they don’t agree with the
government
○ Lobby groups (put pressure on the government)
■ Ex. MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers)
● Want a law against drunk driving and promise votes if
it is passed
■ Persuades government to make laws that best suit their
needs/wants

Why is democracy important paragraph:

Democracy is extremely important in our society, as it is necessary to have people’s
voices heard. These are the people that will be most affected by these laws and
changes, so it is important to keep them updated and involved, usually done by voting
for a preferred representative. Furthermore, a democracy allows for multiple
viewpoints and ideas to be heard, creating a well rounded country that is fair and
equal. It is important to be able to make your own decisions, and have control over
your life. With a democracy, it is easier to be able to make decisions for the common
good for the majority of the society.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages Disadvantages

➔ People can express and be heard ➔ Inefficient

➔ Less violence ◆ Can take a long time to
➔ Rights and freedoms honored accomplish things
➔ Inclusive and equitable society ◆ Slow
◆ If done correctly ➔ Only focuses on the majority
➔ Fair and just ◆ Should be balanced
➔ People feel respected and though
dignified ➔ Expensive
➔ Control over your own life ➔ Sometimes people don’t vote or
➔ Democracies usually grow faster over time they feel their voices
economically than other forms don’t matter
of government ➔ Potentially corrupt
◆ More employment ➔ Leaders only care about the
opportunities short term
 ◆ Choice over what you
buy/use
➔ People identify with their
government to create a stronger
level of patriotism
➔ Countries that use democracy
are less likely to enter into
armed conflicts
➔ A democracy transitions power
smoothly while establishing
legitimacy
➔ It encourages centrism more
than extremism
◆ How can I get elected
again?
➔ Democracy can encourage mob
rule
➔ Gridlock occurs frequently in
democratic structures
➔ It can require individual voters to
accept an entire mandate for a
single issue

Types of Democracies:

Representative democracy
➢ Vote for a representative to make everyday decisions
➢ Representatives can do a bad job
○ Usually wealthy, white people
➢ Elected officials to represent the views of the community
➢ Vote on behalf of the people they represent
➢ Hold positions for a specific period of time until a new election is held
➢ Works best in larger communities
➢ Ensures people are not making decisions they are not informed about
➢ Efficient, but people can feel disconnected and unempowered

Direct democracy
➢ Frequently consulted
➢ Empowers the people
➢ People get a choice/say on all/most issues
○ Decisions are made by voting on each issue
○ People represent themselves
○ Works best in smaller communities
○ Difficult to do/manage
■ Time consuming
 ■ Not everyone wants choice
● Not everyone is educated enough to make informed
decisions

Pros and Cons of Each Type of Democracy

Direct Representative

Pros: Pros:
● Everyone is heard ● Representatives represent the
● People feel empowered majority not minority
Cons: ● efficient
● Time consuming Cons:
● Only really works in smaller ● Feel unempowered
communities ● May not have your voice heard

Which would I prefer: representative or direct democracy?

I would prefer a representative democracy, as we live in a very big community, so if we
were to use direct democracy, issues would take a long time to be resolved. I am also
very indecisive, and overthink a lot, so I would be worried about making the wrong
decisions. It also means that people are not making decisions for bad reasons, which
could cause further problems than the ones we were trying to solve to begin with.
Charter of Rights and Freedoms Notes:
Goal: Outline our rights and freedoms and protect us from the government
● April 17, 1982
● Signed by Queen Elizabeth II and Pierre Trudeau in Ottawa
● The Charter protects Canadians from the power of the state and provides
fundamental rights and freedoms
● freedom of expression, democratic rights, mobility rights, legal rights, equality
rights, language rights
● Gave Canada control over its Constitution and guaranteed the rights and
freedoms in the Charter as the supreme law of the nation.
● Provides rights and freedoms including:
○ Freedom of expression
○ Democratic rights
○ Mobility rights
○ Legal rights
■ Innocent until proven guilty
■ Attorney/lawyer
■ Police cannot search you for no reason
■ Right to not be arbitrarily detained
○ Equality rights
○ Language rights
○ Reproductive rights for women
○ Right to safety
○ Right to live
● Equality clause
○ Assures equality between men and women
● Signed at the same time as constitution
● A part of the Canadian constitution
● Protects people from the government
○ Protects from unjust laws, unjust government actions, unjust
rules/procedures/laws that go against rights

Constitution Supremacy
● The constitution is the highest and most valued peace of law in our system
● Charter of rights and freedoms is part of the constitution and therefore is the
highest law in the nation
Though rights are guaranteed, limits still exist.
Rights and Freedoms

Rights Freedoms

● A right is a common privilege ● Freedom is when you have no

given to all citizens constraints to conduction your
● Right to actions
● You should inherently be able to ● Free from
do ● Free from something
● You are allowed

Rights apply to everyone in Canada, not just legal citizens

A few only apply to legal citizens:
● Democratic and mobility rights
Democratic rights
● Right to vote
● Right to run for gov
Mobility rights
● Travel /move
Legal rights
● To life, liberty and security of the person,
and to not be deprived of these except
under special circumstances
● To be secure against unreasonable search
or seizure
● To not be arbitrarily detained or imprisoned
● To retain and instruct a lawyer to represent
them in justice proceedings
● To have a trial within a reasonable time
period
● To be innocent until proven guilty
● To not be subjected to any cruel or unusual
treatment or punishment
Equality rights
● Enumerated grounds
○ Race, religion, sex, age, disability
● Analogous
○ Sexual orientation, citizenship, marital status, aboriginality-residence
Rights are guaranteed in Constitution and Charter
Constitution:
● How government operates
● Recognised by law
Charter
● Part of constitution
● Protects Canadians
Charter Guarantees
Fundamental freedoms
Democratic rights
Mobility rights
Legal rights
Language rights
Equality Clause
Gov must protect these rights
Freedom of expression provided they don’t infringe on others’
Goal: create a just society based on equality

Section 1:
● Reasonable limits clause
● All rights are guaranteed but are subjected to reasonable limits
○ Sometime they must be taken away for good reasons
● Ex. Can express yourself, but can’t harass others
● Ex. Mask; you have freedom to do what you want, but when your freedom to
choose imposes on someone else's freedom, your right to choose is restricted
● Individual vs the law
● Was it infringed or was it reasonably taken away?
● Court proportionality (oaks test)
○ Rational connection between what the government is trying to stop
and the law
○ Least impairment to people
○ Proportional effect
■ Change in society by taking the right away
○ Gray areas → moral harm
○ Physical harm
Section 2:
● Fundamental Freedoms
○ Right to belief
■ Religion and thought
○ Right to expression
○ Right to peaceful protest
○ Right to association
■ Join unions
○ All interconnected
○ Expression is needed in a democracy

Section 3, 4, and 5:
● Democratic rights
○ Right to vote
■ Citizens
○ Elections must happen every 5 years (max)
■ Transition of power is very important in a democracy
○ Parliament is meant to call a session in at least once a year

Section 6:
● Mobility rights
○ Restrictions on travelling
○ Every citizen can enter, remain, exit, and travel/live throughout
Canada

Section 7:
● Right to life, liberty, and security
○ Government cannot take away your life
○ You are free to make choices of your own independence
○ Government must insure you are safe and they are not putting you in
harms way
Section 8:
● Right against illegal search and seizure
○ Need evidence; cannot search you just because you look suspicious
○ Far less rights in school

Section 9:
● Right against arbitrary detainment
○ Cannot be stopped/questioned for no reason

Section 10:
● Rights upon arrest
○ Why am I being arrested?
○ Told right to an attorney/lawyer
○ Habeas Corpus
■ If you’re arrested to have the arrest validated by a judge
■ Were you rightfully arrested

Section 11:
● Rights in court/trial
○ Trial within a reasonable time
○ Everybody is innocent until proven guilty

Section 12:
● Right against cruel and unusual treatment
○ Applies once arrested as well
○ Torture, denying hygiene (washroom, etc) denying medical care, etc

Section 15:
● Right to equality
○ Cannot be treated differently due to a membership to a group
■ Gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, economic class, age
○ Equal opportunities and equal benefits
Democratic Rights (section 3-5):
➔ All citizens should be able to vote
➔ Non-citizens who can’t vote → equality rights
➔ If you have lived outside of canada 5+ years but are a citizen of Canada you
lose your right to vote
◆ Overturned, doesn’t exist any more