CHALLENGES TO DEMOCRACY

Challenges to democracy means the difficulties which

democracy has to overcome in order to flourish more and
more, and once it has overcome them, then it will prosper
more than any other form of government.
Thinking About Challenges
A challenge is not just any problem, we usually call only
those difficulties a challenge which are significant and
which can be overcome. A challenge is a difficulty that
carries within it an opportunity for progress. Once we
overcome a challenge, we go up to a higher level than before.
 Different Contexts Different
Challenges
The challenges to democracy are not same everywhere,
different regions or countries have their own different
challenges which interfere in their development, these
challenges may depend upon various context related to
the country.
 What Are These Challenges ?
The major challenges include :
• Foundational challenge
• Challenge of expansion
• Challenge of deepening
Political Reforms

Generally all the suggestions or proposals about

overcoming various challenges to democracy are called
Democratic Reforms. They can be laws or suggestions by
social groups which helps to improve the quality of
democracy.
 Guidelines for making Political
Reforms
• Democratic reforms are to be carried out mainly by political activists,
parties, movements and politically conscious citizens rather than
laws.
• Any legal change must carefully look at what results it will have on
politics.
• Democratic reforms are to be brought about principally through
political practices.
• Any proposal for political reforms should think not only about what
is good solution but also about who will implement it.
 Redefining Democracy
Some additions to the definition of democracy are:
• The rulers elected by the people must take all the major decisions.
• Elections must offer a choice and fair opportunity to the people to
change the current rulers.
• This choice and opportunity should be available to all the people on an
equal basis.
• The exercise of this choice must lead to a government limited by basic
rules of the constitution and citizen' rights.