Democracy as a Dynamic Concept - Essay Example

Teacher Democracy “Rule of and by the people” is the common definition given to the word democracy as “it comes from the Greek root words “demos” meaning people and “Kratos” meaning power or rule”.. ( “Common root words”). The word “democracy” may categorically be considered a universal word just like the word “love” which is used in different contexts. To cite some examples, “Mussolini claimed that his Italian Fascism is a realization of a “true democracy”; Nazis, speaking through Herr Goebbels, presented the National socialist state as the “most ennobled form of a modern democratic state and finally, not to forget Stalin announced that the Soviet Constitution of 1936 is the only constitution democratic to the limit” (Lewis, p.467 ). With that being said, what makes democracy American to start with?

First, democracy is “a political system or form of government” of the people living in a specified territorial ground which it also protects. Undoubtedly, “it runs with promulgated rules and laws” that are embedded in a constitution which people have to abide by. Second, sovereignty rests on the people therefore they are given the “right of suffrage or the right to vote”. (“What is democracy?”, 2004) This also means that major decisions and issues must be thrown to the electorate to decide.

Within this context, the “majority rule” is followed. Thirdly, democracy is always directed to work for the “common good of the society” covering the fields of education, food, shelter, environment protection, safety, and order. Fourthly, democracy always considers the respect for the dignity of man and his personal freedoms such as freedom of religion, freedom of expression, among others. Learning from the above, what else does not work with democracy? According to the International IDEA: “The relationship between democracy and development is the key challenge.

Despite economic growth in many countries, poverty and inequality remain …and if democracy does not “deliver” on development, it risks being challenged with rising of authoritarianism. “ (IDEA, n.d.) The other factor to consider as a “weakness of the democratic structure is accountability. It is for this reason that society experiences organized crimes and violence. Often, check and balance mechanisms are weakly placed and implemented enhancing eventual deterrent factors to grow and skew political incentives away to favor private interests instead of promoting appropriate goods and services to the public.

” (IDEA, n.d.) In retrospect, democracy is still a dynamic concept that can be attached to any conceivable political word to delineate and create fit-to-models of democracy. But ultimately, whatever context democracy will carry, it will always be a reflection of the acquired and inherent values of the ruling individual(s) carrying out or actualizing democracy.