The Essential Elements of Democracy

To examine the nature of democracy, it is first useful to define the political system in both its ideal state and in practice. This differentiation has philosophical merit, but it also includes an element of moral judgment.

Examining the ideal form of something is essentially an ethical assessment, and consists of an evaluation of its underlying concepts. In this process, one poses questions such as: What needs to be done? What is the right deed?

In contrast, making a judgment about existing reality is experiential and based on concrete information; the examination focuses on opportunities and obstacles. In this case, the questions are: What can bE done? What choices exist? And what are the consequences of each choice?

Delineating the concept of democracy in this way provides a clearer understanding of how well the ideal concept can be fulfilled within the framework of existing circumstances.

Democracy is a method by which a group—whether an organization, society, or country—is governed. Determining its nature requires asking what its fundamental elements are. Robert Dahl has define the specific criteria of democracy, as follows:[i]

1. Control of the agenda – The public must have the opportunity to decide which political issues and initiatives should be brought up for deliberation by the government.

2. Enlightened understanding – Before the decision making process begins, citizens must have ample and equal opportunity to discover and affirm the new policies and their consequences, with full disclosure of all details.

3. Effective participation – During the decision making process, citizens must have adequate and equal opportunity to form preferences on each topic and make others aware of them.

4. Voting equality – As the decision making process reaches its final stage, each citizen must have an equal opportunity to vote, with the assurance that his or her vote will be given equal weight.

Based on these criteria, democracy can be defined as a process which grants all citizens equal opportunity for enlightened understanding, effective participation, voting power, and control of the agenda. John Stuart Mill summarized these capacities: “Ultimately, there is nothing more ideal than allowing every citizen to participate in the sovereign power of the state.”[ii]

Adhering to these principles guarantees the equality of all citizens and ensures that their involvement in the decision making process regarding their individual and collective fate is effectively established.

The second fundamental question about ideal democracy covers its necessity. Why should democracy be defended? What are the consequences of establishing a democratic governing process in a country?

In response, the advantages of a democratic governing system can be outlined:

1. Democracy prevents a government from oppressing its citizens. There are multiple examples throughout history—and even in the present era—of rulers who have adopted autocratic systems and deprived the public of fundamental rights as a result of their own psychological issues, including arrogance, suspicion, or egotism, or because of their unrelenting pursuit of ideological, religious, or nationalistic motives. In contrast, the features of a democratic system prevent the tyranny of its leaders.

2. Democracy is not only a governing system; it also guarantees citizens’ constitutional and human rights. For example, the implementation of the tools mentioned before—control of agenda, public education about plans and policies, effective public participation in the decision making process, and voting equality—restores each citizen’s fundamental right to determine his or her own fate.

3. Democracy guarantees individual freedom. As Erich Fromm said, “It is only in modern times and under a democratic government that people can attain the right to individual freedom and equal opportunity in decision making over their affairs.”[iii] For example, thinking is an inherent human activity; thus, denying an individual freedom of thought deprives him or her of a fundamental individual right. Freedom of thought is only truly significant when it is paired with freedom of speech, and both are ensured only under a democratic system.

4. Democracy safeguards citizens’ fundamental needs and interests. To survive, humans need food, shelter, health care, and other elements, as well as love, respect, security, employment, and entertainment. The manner in which these needs are fulfilled, particularly emotional and spiritual needs, differs among individuals and social classes. People want direct control over how these needs are satisfied so that they can structure their lives based on their personal goals, values and priorities. Only a democratic government recognizes these differences and supports their expression. 

5. A democratic government provides maximum opportunities for citizens to determine their fate and collective coexistence under laws and rules they themselves elected and enacted. Life in any society involves conflicts of interest among its members, and the best solution is usually a compromise that allows the majority to determine the rules. This universal concession, which requires broad communication, forces people to exercise their power to determine their own fate, as well as to accept the opinion of the majority.

6. Democratic government creates the highest level of social accountability among people. Under democratic criteria, citizens participate in the process of creating legislation and policy, and freely agree to conform to them and share moral consequences. Assigning this kind of moral and social responsibility to people makes sense only when they have the right to be involved in the process of policy making.

7. Democracy can ensure the enhancement of human decency better than any other system. The highest human ethics and virtues, such as trust, fairness, bravery, love, and respect for others only flourish in an environment guaranteeing political, economical and moral freedom. In the suffocating environment of a non-democratic government that breeds suspicion, fear and hatred, there is little room for the enhancement of these human qualities.

Looking beyond the ideal, democracy in practice has more advantages:

8. New democracies don’t engage in war. History shows that among the 34 incidents of war that occurred around the world between 1945 and 1989, none took place between two democratic nations, and Bruce Russett has predicted that there is little chance that a war between two democratic countries will erupt in the future.[iv] This may be the case because democratic nations have extensive trade and economic ties that make peace more appealing to them than war,[v] but it is also true that the leaders of democratic countries are schooled in the mechanisms of compromise. It is easy to assume, then, that as the world is increasingly filled with democratic countries, it is more likely to exist in peace.

9. Countries with democratic governments prosper more than others. The workers in these countries enjoy relative freedom of mobility and pursuit of employment, private production facilities compete for access to resources, and the government generally does not interfere in commercial and economic activities. These characteristics allow citizens of democratic countries to become engaged in the world economy. At the same time, economic activities in these countries are governed by market economics, giving citizens a better chance to raise capital and subsequently become wealthier than others.

Democracy in the outside world: background and institutions

While democracy has certain characteristics in its ideal form, what qualities are required for a country to realize democracy in practice? In other words, what does it mean to say that a country is run democratically?

The realization of democracy requires certain political processes and behaviors, and the establishment of certain institutions that are in harmony with the goals and values of ideal democracy.

A review of the world’s democratic regimes, paired with observations of trends, history, and human limitations, results in a list of the conditions required for democracy.

1. An elected government and leadership – In order to achieve democracy, the individuals who make public decisions and are engaged in macro and micro policymaking must be elected by citizens.

2. Free elections – Elections must be fair and frequent, guaranteeing citizens’ effective participation in the decision making process.

3. Freedom of speech – This provides citizens with the right to express their opinions, even when they include disapproval of a particular authority or the entire regime. Citizens also have the right to criticize economic and social plans and prevailing ideologies without fear of persecution.

4. Availability of independent information sources – It is imperative that citizens have access to sources of information that are run independently of the government, and that the independence of these sources be guaranteed by law.

5. The existence of private institutions – Democracy is attainable only if citizens have the right to privately organize independent institutions, foundations and societies, including political parties.        

6. Equal coverage of citizenship – In a democracy, all citizens covered by its laws enjoy equal rights.

In summary, a country’s achievement of democracy requires that all citizens have the right to effectively participate in free and just elections in which their leaders are chosen, appoint themselves to be elected, enjoy freedom of speech, participate in establishing independent political and social institutions, have access to independent information, and make use of all liberties in the course of their political and social activities.

[v] John O’Neal & Bruce Russett, “The Classical Liberals Were Right: Democracy, Interdependence, and Conflict, 1950-1985,” International Studies Quarterly, June 1997, 267-294