Democracy simply means the rule of people through fair elections and equal participation. Democracy follows certain principles and rules. People who are ruling at present should determine the person who will rule in their temporary absence. They have to monitor the behaviors of all in the offices. Assets need to be shown by all the political leaders. Elections cannot be just fair. They need to be free and conducted frequently. The set of rules and regulations followed by the leaders and the nation are all written in a constitution. The main job of the government is to provide food, clothes, and shelter to the nation along with welfare. The Constitution limits the power of the government over how and when to make a decision. The government itself cannot make up rules and laws. It works on the rule that no one is above the law. The judiciary reviews all the regulations. It is the main role of a democratic state to see that rules aren’t being violated. Democracy defines liberalism i.e. the dignity, freedom, and equality of an individual and also, democracy ensures the freedom of media too.
However, democracy has many features. Power is separated among Legislation, executive, and Judiciary. The constitution is the set of rules and laws. Decrees are sent in by the government regulating how the laws are being applied. Elections are held and there are a few political parties that hold elections within themselves and choose a leader among themselves who further stands in a nationwide election for a seat. There are three basic types of democracy.
Direct democracy in which the head of state is a member of the government for one year. The government is made of the people elected by the political parties. Parliament is elected for a fixed legislative period. It is not necessary for the member of the government to be members of the parliament. Laws are made in a rather time taking process. It seems to offer more checks and balances. It worked very well with the Swiss.
Presidential democracy is one of the types of democracy. Like in the USA and France, the president is the head of the government and the state. President is elected by the people. Ministers are nominated by the people too. According to this type of democracy, there is an institutional difference between the government and the parliament. President has a very strong position. Laws are debated over and are passed by the parliament.
Another type is the Parliamentary democracy like that in UK, Spain, and Germany. Head of the state can be a Prime Minister who will be an elected person or a monarch. The parliament has the audacity to dismiss the government made by the parliament itself. The members of the government have to be the elected members of the parliament. Though laws are made by the government they are passed by the parliament.
Democracy basically is a competition of power as a political system. The elected people are the highest political form of society. From leaders to the nation, power is deliberately flowed giving everyone their freedom and rights. The leaders are though holding the power temporarily. It is the duty of the elected people to listen to the problems and issues of the people. The people have the right to criticize their leaders and ask for an answer if they have done something wrong or have not abide by the rules. Elections are to be occurred at regular intervals as per the law. This means that people who are sitting on powerful seats cannot prolong their tenure without asking from the people of their country. Elections should be held fairly. All the political parties and candidates should be selected fairly.
Participation of women is considered very important in this case. In all the political parties, women hold a fixed number of seats and are given importance. They work with men at all times for the upbringing of the state and to keep up a stable democratic state. They have an equal right to vote and choose their leader accordingly. Women all across the world have joined politics now and are going for campaigns for the political parties. They are not being held back by anything in this world.
The rule of law plays an important role in a democratic state. Citizens are to be protected, given food, and provided shelter according to the law. If you are being fined or tax is being imposed on you, then they will be in accordance with a law that has been passed already. Nobody is above the law whether it’s a president or a king of a state. If someone is charged with a crime then that person has the right to a free and speedy trial in a court. None of the government officials can break the laws.
While looking over the 21st century, one sees that democracy has created certain issues in the world too. Starting mainly with the fact that it can provide power to a corrupt individual. The people who have been elected for the most powerful seat of the state get access to the budget of the country and they will get many chances to misuse them. Such officials can keep their subordinates very happy too by keeping their pockets full. So the answer to the question asked in the very beginning is yes. Democracy is so far the best form of the political system in this present world of hustle and bustle. With the advent of the 21st century, a number of downfalls have been seen but in the end what matters is the fact that people have the freedom of expression, a right to speak, a right to choose their own government and indulge themselves in the state affairs equally. All a nation wants is the food to eat, a place to live, and clothes to wear. It is the responsibility of the state to provide them that and it is the nation’s right to demand those things. Therefore, leaders chosen by fair elections are the ones who take the countries to their glories.