CHAPTER FIVE

DEMOCRACY AND DEMOCRATIC

INSTITUTIONS
EXAMINING THE FOUNDATION OF
DEMOCRACY

WHAT IS DEMOCRACY AND HOW DOES IT

STARTED?
 A political system ruled by the people, either
directly or through elected representatives.

 A state under the direct or representative rule of its

people.
another definition:

 A democracy is a government by the people,

of the people and for the people.
FIVE (5) CRITERIA: (Robert Dahl)

The People or the “demos”: All adult members should participate in the electoral
processes, except those proven to have mental deficiencies;

Control of the agenda: The citizens must have the exclusive opportunity to decide
how matters are to be placed on the agenda for discussion and deliberation, and
ultimately, voting.

Enlightened understanding: The citizen ought to have adequate information to make

a choice on what would best serve community and society;

Effective Participation: The citizen can be rallied and mobilized to make their
preferences realized through direct participation in the social and the political life of
the society: and

Equality in the voting process: rendering a vote that will be counted equal in weight.
ADVANTAGES OF DEMOCRACY: (Hendrik)

PREVENTION OF TYRANNY – Democracy prevents the rule of cruel and vicious

autocrats;

PROTECTION OF ESSENTIAL RIGHTS – Democracy privileges the protection and

promotion of fundamental civil rights.

GUARANTEE OF FREEDOM - ensures a large degree of personal freedoms, among

of which include freedom of expression and freedom of religion;

SELF- PROTECTION – helps people protect their personal interests;

SELF- DETERMINATION – offers the greatest for an individual to live by his or her
self-imposed rules;

MORAL AUTONOMY – exercising moral responsibility.

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT – the well- being of citizens and encourages
investments in human resources;

RESTRICTION OF INEQUALITY – sustaining and redressing economic and

political inequalities.

PEACE-KEEPING – do not take the pat to war;

PROMISE OF PROSPERITY – more prosperous than non-democracies.

 TYPES OF DEMOCRACY

DIRECT DEMOCRACY
- all members of a polity gather together and individual cast their vote.
- can only happen in small-scale societies and their participation
happens in public assemblies.
- often referred to as “pure democracy” because it only works for states
with small populations.

REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY
- also referred to as “liberal democracies”
- in liberal democracy, individual freedoms are considered paramount.
- it is also called as “constitutional democracy” because of the idea that
the people control the government by electing the head of the any
executive department.
THANKS.