The Word Democracy Means Different Things to Different People - Essay Example

Democracy al affiliation Democracy is a form of government where power resides in the people and they are free to elect their leaders through elections. Autocracy on the other hand is a form of government where all power is vested in one individual or a small group and the people do not contribute in running the government. In an autocratic government, the leaders make all the decisions independently while in a democracy the leaders seek input in the decision making process (Burnell & Schlumberger, 2014).

The distinguishing characteristics of a democracy include citizen’s contribution in decision-making, decisions made reflect the beliefs of the majority, limitation of the government’s power and respect of individual rights. In a democratic system, the government as well as its citizens are subject to the rule of law. There is respect for personal freedoms, equality before the law, political freedoms and decisions that serve the common good (Denton, 2015). All citizens in a democracy have some rights, which cannot be taken away by the government.

The main concept of democracy is the worth of the individual. This means that every individual is unique and important and is a member of the society. There is also the equality of every individual. This concept provides for the equality before the law and equality of opportunity. Although democracy follows the rule of the majority, the rights of the minority are equally important in policymaking. Because there is the need to find a position that is acceptable to a large number, there is necessity of compromise in a democratic system.

There is also the freedom of the individual in a democratic system (Dickson, 2014). The justifications of autocracy include quick implementation of decisions, total control, efficiency, and effectiveness during emergencies. Reference listBurnell, P., & Schlumberger, O. (Eds.). (2014). International politics and national political regimes: promoting democracy-promoting autocracy. Routledge. Denton, P.H. (2015). Philosophy of democracy: introduction. Essays in philosophy, 16 (1), 1. Dickson, D. (2014). The people’s government: An introduction to democracy.

Cambridge University Press.