What democracy means to you?

[SALMAN F]

Democracy is hypocrisy

 

[papertiger]

It was a general description of democracy. Of course, dictatorships can and often do offers token symbols or even physical institutions of the democratic process, but that fraud actually support my general description of what is democracy.

The Swiss do not have direct election of their President.



Does that mean they are not a democratic people ?

Yes Switzerland does have a democracy. The Federal Council would be reflective of the wishes of the general assembly who are elected by the citizenry.

In Australia, Canada and the UK the Prime Minister is also not directly elected by the public. This is the norm. The American model where the public elect the President is the exception. In fact I don't know of any other country who has the American system. Regardless, it's irrelevant whether the representative leaders of a country are chosen based on direct or indirect methods, so long as the public has effective control of the process.

There is a huge difference between participating in the political system and being able to control it. Control of the political system by the citizenry is the inalienable requirement for that system to be called democratic.

There is no democracy in China,so,it means nothing to me.

The first experience I vote is when I am a freshman in university.They give a little red piece to me,let me write a name from three school leaders who I never know.Yeah,I even have no sense for what I vote for?Maybe it's for local representatives.Or maybe it's for who looks better.

However,objectively speaking,I don't agree democracy means everything,because I doesn't live so bad without it.Better living standard is more important for developing countries.

This is a good point tbh, I would rather live in a 1st world dictatorship than a 3rd world (or 2nd world) democracy. Democracy is not the most significant factor in life quality, however it is correlative of it. The only country on Earth without a democracy who has good standards of living for the average citizen I can think of is Singapore, and even they have embraced liberal reforms and have a relatively open society.

 

[gambit]

Yes Switzerland does have a democracy. The Federal Council would be reflective of the wishes of the general assembly who are elected by the citizenry.

In Australia, Canada and the UK the Prime Minister is also not directly elected by the public. This is the norm. The American model where the public elect the President is the exception. In fact I don't know of any other country who has the American system. Regardless, it's irrelevant whether the representative leaders of a country are chosen based on direct or indirect methods, so long as the public has effective control of the process.

There is a huge difference between participating in the political system and being able to control it. Control of the political system by the citizenry is the inalienable requirement for that system to be called democratic.

Then you cannot say that my general description of what is 'democracy' was a bad one. Your criticism was based on election. My description was that democracy mean the active political participation of the citizenry. The mechanisms of their participation can varies based upon their unique needs and comfort.

 

[raptor22]

All govrening is about decision making and the most important Q regarding this matter is who is supposed to make it?

As far as democracy empower people to form and shape their own future by making decision of their own affairs and prevent monopolizing of power and corruption through transparency and freedom of speech I would admire it.