democratic government essay

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Essay on Democracy in 100, 300 and 500 Words

Updated on
Jan 15, 2024

The oldest account of democracy can be traced back to 508–507 BCC Athens . Today there are over 50 different types of democracy across the world. But, what is the ideal form of democracy? Why is democracy considered the epitome of freedom and rights around the globe? Let’s explore what self-governance is and how you can write a creative and informative essay on democracy and its significance.

Today, India is the largest democracy with a population of 1.41 billion and counting. Everyone in India above the age of 18 is given the right to vote and elect their representative. Isn’t it beautiful, when people are given the option to vote for their leader, one that understands their problems and promises to end their miseries? This is just one feature of democracy , for we have a lot of samples for you in the essay on democracy. Stay tuned!

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What is democracy , sample essay on democracy (100 words), sample essay on democracy (250 to 300 words), sample essay on democracy for upsc (500 words).

Democracy is a form of government in which the final authority to deliberate and decide the legislation for the country lies with the people, either directly or through representatives. Within a democracy, the method of decision-making, and the demarcation of citizens vary among countries. However, some fundamental principles of democracy include the rule of law, inclusivity, political deliberations, voting via elections , etc.

Did you know: On 15th August 1947, India became the world’s largest democracy after adopting the Indian Constitution and granting fundamental rights to its citizens?

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Introduction & Top Questions

Fundamental questions

Prehistoric forms of democracy
Classical Greece
The Roman Republic
“Constitutional oligarchies”
A democratic dilemma
Continental Europe
The United States
Democracy or republic?
Solving the dilemma
Factions and parties
Majority rule, minority rights, majority tyranny
Failures of nondemocratic systems
Market economies
Economic well-being
Political culture
Presidential and parliamentary systems
Unitary and federal systems
Proportional and winner-take-all systems
Two-party and multiparty systems
Majoritarian and consensual systems
The legitimacy of government
Answers to fundamental questions
Montesquieu
Features of ideal democracy
Ideal and representative democracy
Actual democracies
The value of democracy
Economic insecurity and inequality
The costs of identity politics
Democracy and clientelism
Authoritarian threats
Technological developments

What is democracy?

Where was democracy first practiced, how is democracy better than other forms of government, why does democracy need education.

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Social Science LibreTexts - Democracies and Democratization
Khan Academy - Types of democracy
PBS LearningMedia - The Birth of Democracy | The Greeks
Princeton University - Populism and Democratic Theory
The UNESCO Courier - What is democracy?
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Democracy
Loyola University Chicago - Political Legitimacy and Democracy
democracy - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
democracy - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
Table Of Contents

voting in the 2012 U.S. presidential election

Democracy is a system of government in which laws, policies, leadership, and major undertakings of a state or other polity are directly or indirectly decided by the “people,” a group historically constituted by only a minority of the population (e.g., all free adult males in ancient Athens or all sufficiently propertied adult males in 19th-century Britain) but generally understood since the mid-20th century to include all (or nearly all) adult citizens.

Studies of contemporary nonliterate tribal societies and other evidence suggest that democracy, broadly speaking, was practiced within tribes of hunter-gatherers in prehistoric times. The transition to settled agricultural communities led to inequalities of wealth and power between and within communities and hierarchical nondemocratic forms of social organization. Thousands of years later, in the 6th century BCE, a relatively democratic form of government was introduced in the city-state of Athens by Cleisthenes .

States with democratic governments prevent rule by autocrats, guarantee fundamental individual rights, allow for a relatively high level of political equality, and rarely make war on each other. As compared with nondemocratic states, they also better foster human development as measured by indicators such as health and education , provide more prosperity for their citizens, and ensure a broader range of personal freedoms.

The hallmark of democracy is that it permits citizens to participate in making laws and public policies by regularly choosing their leaders and by voting in assemblies or referenda . If their participation is to be meaningful and effective—if the democracy is to be real and not a sham—citizens must understand their own interests, know the relevant facts, and have the ability to critically evaluate political arguments. Each of those things presupposes education .

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democracy , literally, rule by the people. The term is derived from the Greek dēmokratia , which was coined from dēmos (“people”) and kratos (“rule”) in the middle of the 5th century bce to denote the political systems then existing in some Greek city-states , notably Athens .

(Read Madeleine Albright’s Britannica essay on democracy.)

The etymological origins of the term democracy hint at a number of urgent problems that go far beyond semantic issues. If a government of or by the people—a “popular” government—is to be established, at least five fundamental questions must be confronted at the outset, and two more are almost certain to be posed if the democracy continues to exist for long.

(1) What is the appropriate unit or association within which a democratic government should be established? A town or city? A country? A business corporation ? A university? An international organization ? All of these?

(2) Given an appropriate association—a city, for example—who among its members should enjoy full citizenship? Which persons, in other words, should constitute the dēmos ? Is every member of the association entitled to participate in governing it? Assuming that children should not be allowed to participate (as most adults would agree), should the dēmos include all adults? If it includes only a subset of the adult population, how small can the subset be before the association ceases to be a democracy and becomes something else, such as an aristocracy (government by the best, aristos ) or an oligarchy (government by the few, oligos )?

(3) Assuming a proper association and a proper dēmos , how are citizens to govern? What political organizations or institutions will they need? Will these institutions differ between different kinds of associations—for example, a small town and a large country?

(4) When citizens are divided on an issue, as they often will be, whose views should prevail, and in what circumstances? Should a majority always prevail, or should minorities sometimes be empowered to block or overcome majority rule?

(5) If a majority is ordinarily to prevail, what is to constitute a proper majority? A majority of all citizens? A majority of voters? Should a proper majority comprise not individual citizens but certain groups or associations of citizens, such as hereditary groups or territorial associations?

(6) The preceding questions presuppose an adequate answer to a sixth and even more important question: Why should “the people” rule? Is democracy really better than aristocracy or monarchy ? Perhaps, as Plato argues in the Republic , the best government would be led by a minority of the most highly qualified persons—an aristocracy of “ philosopher-kings .” What reasons could be given to show that Plato’s view is wrong?

(7) No association could maintain a democratic government for very long if a majority of the dēmos —or a majority of the government—believed that some other form of government were better. Thus, a minimum condition for the continued existence of a democracy is that a substantial proportion of both the dēmos and the leadership believes that popular government is better than any feasible alternative . What conditions, in addition to this one, favour the continued existence of democracy? What conditions are harmful to it? Why have some democracies managed to endure, even through periods of severe crisis, while so many others have collapsed?

Home — Essay Samples — Government & Politics — Forms of Government — Democracy

Essays on Democracy

Democracy essay topics and outline examples, essay title 1: the evolution of democracy: historical origins, principles, and contemporary challenges.

Thesis Statement: This essay explores the historical roots of democracy, its foundational principles, and the contemporary challenges it faces in the context of modern societies.

Introduction
Origins of Democracy: Ancient Greece and Beyond
Democratic Principles: Rule of Law, Freedom, and Participation
Democracy in Practice: Case Studies of Democratic Nations
Challenges to Democracy: Populism, Authoritarianism, and Erosion of Institutions
Electoral Systems: Voting Methods and Representation
Media and Democracy: The Role of Information and Misinformation
Conclusion: Safeguarding Democracy in the 21st Century

Essay Title 2: The Democratic Experiment: Comparative Analysis of Democratic Systems Worldwide

Thesis Statement: This essay conducts a comparative analysis of democratic systems in different countries, highlighting variations in practices, governance structures, and outcomes.

Democratic Models: Presidential vs. Parliamentary Systems
Democratic Variations: Federalism and Unitarism
Elections and Representation: Proportional vs. First-Past-the-Post Systems
Citizen Participation: Direct Democracy and Referendums
Case Studies: Analyzing Democracies in Europe, Asia, and the Americas
Democratic Challenges: Corruption, Voter Suppression, and Civic Engagement
Conclusion: Lessons Learned from Global Democratic Experiences

Essay Title 3: The Digital Age and Democracy: Technology, Social Media, and the Shaping of Political Discourse

Thesis Statement: This essay examines the influence of technology and social media on democratic processes, including their impact on political communication, public opinion, and election outcomes.

The Digital Revolution: Internet Access and Political Engagement
Social Media Platforms: Their Role in Disseminating Information and Disinformation
Filter Bubbles and Echo Chambers: The Polarization of Political Discourse
Online Activism: Grassroots Movements and Their Impact
Regulation and Ethics: Balancing Free Speech and Accountability Online
Case Studies: Examining Elections and Political Campaigns in the Digital Age
Conclusion: Navigating the Intersection of Technology and Democracy

Defending Privacy: a Pillar of Autonomy and Democracy

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Why Democracy is the Best We've Got

Mar 12, 2019

Alexandra Mork

International Student Essay Contest Winner

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In response to the question " is it important to live in a democracy ", the following essay was selected as a winner of carnegie council's international student essay content..

Although the ongoing debate over the viability and efficacy of living in a democracy underwent a temporary pause after the conclusion of the Cold War and accompanying democratic revolutions, the international rise of authoritarian regimes and simultaneous decline of freedom in the geopolitical sphere makes discussions of democratic ideals and realities increasingly topical.

Democracy is a system of government in which the citizens of a nation determine its policies through elected representatives, direct voting, or in most cases, a combination of the two. Furthermore, in democratic elections, voters must have the capacity to replace political parties and leaders based off popular support. Finally, a democracy must allow the majority of residents to participate in political processes and not exclude certain groups of people from the political sphere on the basis on race, gender, class or sexual orientation.

First and foremost, democracies are a crucial step in achieving equality for oppressed groups by giving people who would otherwise be excluded from politics the ability to vote for the policies and people that they believe in. When given the right to vote, marginalized groups are naturally more likely to support politicians who will work to end the oppressive policies that are prevalent throughout the world. Some argue that democracy alone is insufficient in the pursuit of equality because the majority faction will still overpower minority factions. While this may be true, the importance of democracy should be viewed through a lens of the possible alternatives; other systems of government, such as autocracies, theocracies and monarchies are comparatively worse for achieving equality because they exclusively allow one person or group of people to make decisions for an entire population. Only democracy allows all groups, regardless of race, gender identity, class or sexual orientation, to participate in politics.

Not only does democracy allow all people to have an equal voice, but it is also inherently an extremely flexible system, which allows for the government to adapt according to changing ideologies. Because elected representatives have an incentive to maintain their positions of power, they appeal to public opinion to remain popular. Although many people critique democratic politicians for their inauthenticity, politicians mirroring the beliefs of the people is actually positive because it ensures that that the majority of citizens' beliefs are reflected in national policies. Furthermore, it functions as a crucial check on people in positions of power because if they act in an unpopular or unethical way, they will likely be voted out of office.

Finally, living in a democracy is important because democracies are the most statistically significant factor in reducing inter and intra state conflict. Director of Policy Studies at the Kroc Institute David Cortright and his colleagues conducted a study to determine the validity of democratic peace theory and examine how regime type relates to violence. They concluded that democracies are much less likely to both engage in war with other states and to participate in civil wars. This is likely because war, in any form, is politically unpopular as it costs human lives, which thus incentivizes democracies to avoid it at all costs. Civil wars in particular are unlikely in democracies because democratic governments function as a safety valve for discontent; while disaffected civilians living in democracies can express their grievances in the form of free speech or exercising their right to vote, citizens living in autocracies have no choice other than violence if they hope for governmental change because they lack political power. Cortright also cites Rudolph Rummel's book Death By Government, in which Rummel finds that autocratic regimes are three and a half times more likely to commit genocide than democratic regimes. Cortright suggests this is a result of the prevalence of exclusionary ideology that is reinforced by authoritarian regimes in comparison with democratic ones.

Some may argue that autocratic governments are preferable to democracies because they are more efficient. It is true that autocratic regimes are able to pass and implement policies in a more timely manner. However, the power of democracy lies in its ability to gradually change. Complex issues should not be swiftly and unilaterally decided by one ruler; they should be debated upon by large groups of people examining both sides of the issue until the majority is able to find a consensus.

Another common criticism of democracy that proponents of autocracies present is the lack of expertise of voters. While every voter is certainly not an expert on every topic, democracies encourage citizens to learn more about the world around them by creating a mutual responsibility between each voter and his or her nation, and by extension, his or her world. Democracies motivate voters to do research on important candidates and policies, whereas non-democratic governments foster political apathy because one's opinions have no impact on the world around them.

The 2018 Varieties of Democracy Report concludes that one third of the world's population lives in a country in which democracy is declining. Even more frighteningly, the Freedom House reports that the global freedom index decreased for the twelfth successive year. Editor Gideon Rose grimly wrote in the May/June 2018 issue of Foreign Affairs, "Some say that global democracy is experiencing its worst setback since the 1930s and that it will continue to retreat unless rich countries find ways to reduce inequality and manage the information revolution. Those are the optimists. Pessimists fear the game is already over, that democratic dominance has ended for good."

I fall on the side of the optimists. In the face of the global decline of rule of law, freedom of the press, equal representation, separation of powers and freedom of speech, democracy will be resilient—but only if we fight for it. The time is now to advocate for a more democratic world, and many are taking up the cause. Countries such as Ethiopia are experiencing democratic reforms as the new prime minister has freed political prisoners and promised more fair elections. Even in democratic nations such as the United States, the effects of political movements such as the Women's March and March For Our Lives, which were only possible because of the right of citizens to peaceably assemble, are evident.

Although democracy is far from a perfect political system, it is undoubtedly an important tool in achieving equality, decreasing conflict, and increasing civic engagement, making it the best available system of government.

Alexandra Mork is a former winner of Carnegie Council's international student essay contest. In 2018, while a junior at Harvard-Westlake High School in Los Angeles, Mork drafted the winning student essay titled, "Why Democracy is the Best We've Got." Mork is currently a student at Brown University where she serves as managing editor for the Brown Political Review.

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Democratic Governance Concept Essay

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Introduction

Plan of action to consolidate and spread the values of democratic governance.

Democratic governance is based on legitimacy, order, stability, accountability, and transparency. It mainly involves promoting durable governance; this includes introducing of politics participation, a stable society, and freedom of media. In addition, democratic governance promotes the involvement of women and other minority groups in government levels and in society levels as well. Democratic governance also involves working hard to ensure that children’s rights and human rights are in place and followed to the later. A state that practices democratic governance establishes policies that are sustainable beyond government changes, which are capable of resolving any conflicts within the state in an orderly and legal manner.

These policies should be imposed in the right manner and are capable of fighting corruption and dictatorship; indeed, in a democratic state, criticism should not be shunned by the government (Frank, 1992). Most countries globally try to exercise democratic governance especially to curb poverty. Some of the non-governmental organizations that contribute to the democratic governance include the United Nations development programme, which promotes participation, and effectiveness in member countries.

Such organizations assist countries to improve on their justice levels and the public administration. However, “good governance should be democratic in both an institutional and social sense; it should also include individual liberties, human rights, economic progress, and social justice” (Carty, n.d, pp 2). The presence of United States military in Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan represent a democratic future, since these troops promote peace and harmony in the three countries. It is through the peaceful environment that the United States government is able to promote governance in such countries, thus helping the country to recover by promoting peace, reviving the country’s economy, as well as creating a democratic government.

According to Morgan (2011), “united states is fighting three wars, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya, while struggling under huge budget deficit and national debt.” The United States proves to be a main player in the promotion of democratic governance in countries where conflict dictatorship and war is involved. In this case, the US has used millions of dollars in order to sustain the troops based in Iraq; this has however met critics from the US citizen, who argue that such money should be invested in their country for development purposes, rather than in the war hit countries. For instance, the United States is spending almost $550 for the military operations in Libya alone, which is a large sum of cash that could be utilized to other major issues of development in the US.

However, the United States president noted that, if the US military was to overthrow the current Libyan president, Gadaffi, by force, this would only mean that the military lives would be endangered, which should not be the case. The Afghanistan military operation for a year cost $110 billion, meaning that approximately $300 million is used in a day. In addition, in 2008, Iraq military operation cost the United States approximately, $ 140 billion, which adds up to $383 million in a day. However, this year there is a reduction of the troops sent to Iraq, which will be approximately 100,000, hence a reduction in salaries, health costs and allowances. However, this is a wise decision since the United States is incurring a large sum of dollars on the many troops it posts to Libya, Iraq, and Afghanistan, of which these huge sums of money could have been used on development programmes in the United States (Morgan, 2011).

The current situation in Libya entails the United States first priority to be protecting the Libyan citizens by eliminating any threats to the lives of the innocent civilians. The US government has however declared that Libya is a no fly zone and has put in place diplomatic and political tools. They have also freezed president Gadaffi’s assets, this are some of the strategies that the US hopes that will lead to the stepping down of Gaddafi. However, one of the fundamental values that the United States government has applied in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya is the protection of innocent human life by ensuring that they do not make any drastic decision that may comprise the lives of civilians. Such actions by the United States enhance democratic governance.

The right to democracy is the right for people to participate and to be consulted in the process of making political choices (Frank, 1994, pp 73). In fact, the United States government has tried to practice democratic governance as a way of solving conflict in war-torn and conflict-hit countries. Though these involvements have cost the United States a fortune, some fruits have been yielded due to these engagements. Democratic governance however cannot work without its values; hence, it is appropriate for the adoption of values in any governance.

The United States should hence involve the non- profitable and non-governmental institution in its journey to effective governance. Such institutions may include, the United Nations development programme (UNDP), which supports and promotes human rights by supporting programmes aimed at building institutions, promoting and protecting human rights, and engaging in human right practices in member nations. UNDP provides support, advice, and guidance tools, when dealing with the governments that are interested in promoting human rights.

According to the Africa – EU partnership, another human rights organization, on the issue of democratic governance and human rights (2011), its main aim is to work with countries and implement programmes that tackle corruption, prevent torture, and promote human rights. This partnership enhances the promotion of human rights by funding projects that are geared towards protecting innocent lives globally. In addition, it also focuses on promoting awareness of the African peer mechanism and supporting the African charter on democracy, elections, and ethics. However, “a good government is associated with democratic governance in that strong institutions help legitimate and strengthen the system they serve and strengthen; functioning democracy helps provide the transparency and accountability to enable government to be more relevant and attendant to the society” (Carty, n.d, pp 4).

According to Sen. A, (1999, pp 6), there are various functions of democracy; first, countries that practice democracy have the political freedom which results to human freedom. Democracy ensure that both civil and political rights are exercised, thus promoting social lives of citizens of a particular country. In addition, democracy promotes the listening of citizen’s claims and agendas regarding their political views. Democracy also promotes socialization in a society such that, citizens of a particular country are able to learn from each other, hence enabling the society to be able to create its values and major priorities.

In addition, the main plan of action that should be implemented in order to consolidate and spread the values of democratic governance should involve the United States working hand in hand with non-governmental organizations like the United Nations and European Union in supporting and promoting human right initiative and programmes. In addition, the national democratic institute (NDI) is another non- profitable organization, which is geared towards working with democratic institutions globally on improving the lives of citizens through citizen’s participation, openness, and accountability. While working together with such organizations, there is a possibility for the enactment of democratic governance to be fast and effective, and this plan will save on the many millions that United States is spending on its military troops in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya.

Secondly, the United States should find other means of promoting the democratic governance in the war-affected areas, apart from sending its military troops to life-risking missions. The United States can try to hold peace talks with the affected countries’ representatives and find measure that will curb conflicts and ruthless leadership. Implementing human rights institutions in different countries could also help in solving problems of bad governance. Since these institutions will act as a link between the United States government and the affected countries, this will be an effective method of ensuring that democratic governance is practiced to the fullest. The main aim of democratic governance is to enhance effective leadership of a country by curbing dictatorship and promoting peace, enhancing political freedom and promoting human rights of all citizens of a state.

Democratic governance is a process that involves participation of both the government of a state and the citizens of that state. In a democratic state, issues of dictatorship and misuse of power are rare. The government normally concentrates on welfare of its citizen, ensuring that human rights policies are implemented and followed. However, in war-hit areas, democratic governance may be promoted by major countries such as the United States, which send its troops to these countries to promote peace and protect the lives of innocent citizens of the affected countries. United States is however spending billions of dollars in trying to promote peace in countries like Libya, Afghanistan, and Iraq. However, too much involvement of the United States to these countries is costing the country in terms of money and its own development, rather than focusing on issues such as education, health, and poverty.

Nevertheless, democratic governance can be promoted in the affected countries by cooperation between the United States, the great seven nations, and the non-governmental organizations like the United Nations. Finally, it is important to note that the democratic governance of any country involves citizens of that country and its government respectively. A nation which has good governance should be capable of promoting peace throughout its territories, support and promote human rights of its citizens, and ensure that there is room for its citizen’s expression in terms of politics. The right of speech and media press should also be encouraged by the government but not shunned, as a good democratic nation always listens to its citizens, and sometimes, uses those critics to govern and lead the country in a better way.

Carty, W. and Rizvi, G. (N. D). The Legitimacy Challenge for Good Government and Democratic Governance: The Imperative to Innovate. Web.

Democratic Governance . (N.d). National democratic institute (NDI). Web.

Democratic governance and human rights. (2011). African and Europe Partnership. Web.

Frank, T. (1994). Democracy as a human right . Web.

Frank, T. (1992). The Emerging Right to Democratic Governance. The American Journal of International Law , Vol. 86, No. 1, pp. 46-91. Web.

Morgan, D. (2011). Washington. Web.

Sen, A. (1999). Democracy as a Universal Value . Journal of Democracy, Volume 10, Number 3, pp. 3-17. University press publishers. Web.

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The Top Ten Most-Read Essays of 2021

In 2021, democracy’s fortunes were tested, and a tumultuous world became even more turbulent. Democratic setbacks arose in places as far flung as Burma, El Salvador, Tunisia, and Sudan, and a 20-year experiment in Afghanistan collapsed in days. The world’s democracies were beset by rising polarization, and people watched in shock as an insurrection took place in the United States. In a year marked by high political drama, economic unrest, and rising assaults on democracy, we at the Journal of Democracy sought to provide insight and analysis of the forces that imperil freedom. Here are our 10 most-read essays of 2021:

Manuel Meléndez-Sánchez Nayib Bukele has developed a blend of political tactics that combines populist appeals and classic autocratic behavior with a polished social-media brand. It poses a dire threat to the country’s democratic institutions.

By the People: Essays on Democracy

Harvard Kennedy School faculty explore aspects of democracy in their own words—from increasing civic participation and decreasing extreme partisanship to strengthening democratic institutions and making them more fair.

Winter 2020

By Archon Fung , Nancy Gibbs , Tarek Masoud , Julia Minson , Cornell William Brooks , Jane Mansbridge , Arthur Brooks , Pippa Norris , Benjamin Schneer

The basic terms of democratic governance are shifting before our eyes, and we don’t know what the future holds. Some fear the rise of hateful populism and the collapse of democratic norms and practices. Others see opportunities for marginalized people and groups to exercise greater voice and influence. At the Kennedy School, we are striving to produce ideas and insights to meet these great uncertainties and to help make democratic governance successful in the future. In the pages that follow, you can read about the varied ways our faculty members think about facets of democracy and democratic institutions and making democracy better in practice.

Explore essays on democracy

Archon fung: we voted, nancy gibbs: truth and trust, tarek masoud: a fragile state, julia minson: just listen, cornell william brooks: democracy behind bars, jane mansbridge: a teachable skill, arthur brooks: healthy competition, pippa norris: kicking the sandcastle, benjamin schneer: drawing a line.

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Democracy Essay

Democracy is derived from the Greek word demos or people. It is defined as a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people. Democracy is exercised directly by the people; in large societies, it is by the people through their elected agents. In the phrase of President Abraham Lincoln, democracy is the “Government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” There are various democratic countries, but India has the largest democracy in the world. This Democracy Essay will help you know all about India’s democracy. Students can also get a list of CBSE Essays on different topics to boost their essay-writing skills.

500+ Words Democracy Essay

India is a very large country full of diversities – linguistically, culturally and religiously. At the time of independence, it was economically underdeveloped. There were enormous regional disparities, widespread poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, and a shortage of almost all public welfare means. Since independence, India has been functioning as a responsible democracy. The same has been appreciated by the international community. It has successfully adapted to challenging situations. There have been free and fair periodic elections for all political offices, from the panchayats to the President. There has been a smooth transfer of political power from one political party or set of political parties to others, both at national and state levels, on many occasions.

India: A Democratic Country

Democracy is of two, i.e. direct and representative. In a direct democracy, all citizens, without the intermediary of elected or appointed officials, can participate in making public decisions. Such a system is only practical with relatively small numbers of people in a community organisation or tribal council. Whereas in representative democracy, every citizen has the right to vote for their representative. People elect their representatives to all levels, from Panchayats, Municipal Boards, State Assemblies and Parliament. In India, we have a representative democracy.

Democracy is a form of government in which rulers elected by the people take all the major decisions. Elections offer a choice and fair opportunity to the people to change the current rulers. This choice and opportunity are available to all people on an equal basis. The exercise of this choice leads to a government limited by basic rules of the constitution and citizens’ rights.

Democracy is the Best Form of Government

A democratic government is a better government because it is a more accountable form of government. Democracy provides a method to deal with differences and conflicts. Thus, democracy improves the quality of decision-making. The advantage of a democracy is that mistakes cannot be hidden for long. There is a space for public discussion, and there is room for correction. Either the rulers have to change their decisions, or the rulers can be changed. Democracy offers better chances of a good decision. It respects people’s own wishes and allows different kinds of people to live together. Even when it fails to do some of these things, it allows a way of correcting its mistakes and offers more dignity to all citizens. That is why democracy is considered the best form of government.

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395 Democracy Essay Topics & Research Questions: Elections, American Democracy, and More

What is democracy? The word “democracy” has Greek roots. It combines two words: “demos,” which refers to people residing within a specific country, and “kratos,” which means power. Democracy ensures that all citizens have the same rights regardless of their background, race, religion, or sexual orientation. It also raises people’s sense of civic dignity.

In this article, we’ll explain how to write an essay on democracy and give some helpful tips. Keep reading to find out more.

🔝 Top Democracy Essay Topics

📝 Democracy Essay Prompts

💡 Democracy Research Questions
✍🏻 Democracy Essay Topics
🎤 Democracy Speech Topics
✅ Essay on Democracy: Outline

🔗 References

🔝 top 12 democracy essay topics.

Democracy as public justification.
Freedom and democratic authority.
What are the main problems with democratic governance?
The role of democracy in the modern world.
The development of democracy.
The influence of democracy on the young generation.
The connection between human rights and democracy.
What are the key features of democracy?
The value of democracy.
Democracy as collective self-rule.
The demands of democratic participation.
Limits to the authority of democracy.

The picture suggests topics for an essay about democracy.

Many students find writing a college essay on democracy to be a stressful task. For this reason, we’ve prepared some essay prompts and tips to help students improve their writing skills.

What Is Democracy: Essay Prompt

Democracy is a form of government that has played an essential role in reshaping societies from monarchical, imperial, and conquest-driven systems into ones founded on sovereignty and harmonious cohabitation principles. Here are some of the questions you can use for your essay:

What is the definition of democracy?
Why do we need democracy?
Where did democracy initially come into existence?
What distinguishes democracy from other forms of government?
Why is education important for democracy?
What is democracy’s primary flaw?
What poses the most significant risk to democracy?

Disadvantages of Democracy: Essay Prompt

One disadvantage of democracy is that it can sometimes lead to slow decision-making due to the need for consensus and majority agreement. There’s also a risk of overlooking the interests of the minority. Finally, democratic systems can be susceptible to manipulation and misinformation, potentially leading to uninformed or misguided decisions by the electorate. In your essay, you may focus on the following aspects:

The issue of corruption . A democratic leader is only in power for a limited time. As a result, there’s a tendency to make money through the use of authority.
Unfair business . Political leaders advocate unfair commercial practices to get support for political campaigns.
Misuse of media . Often, the media attempts to deceive the public to influence their voting behavior.

Democracy vs. Totalitarianism: Essay Prompt

Totalitarianism and democracy are opposing forms of government. Whereas democracy values equal rights and citizens’ participation in the government, in a totalitarian system, the leader’s word is the law, and the state has all the power. To compare totalitarianism and democracy in your essay, you may discuss these points:

Origin of totalitarianism and democracy;
Public opinion on these forms of governance;
Law and discretion;
Minority rights and their importance;
Internal enemies of totalitarianism and democracy.

Capitalism vs Democracy: Essay Prompt

Capitalism and democracy spread throughout the Western world during the 20th century. The fundamental distinction between the two concepts is that democracy is a form of government and a political system, while capitalism is an economic system.

In your essay, you can discuss the following questions:

What is the connection between capitalism and democracy?
What are the main goals and values of capitalism/democracy?
What does capitalism/democracy mean today?
What are the examples of capitalism/democracy?
Why is capitalism /democracy harmful?

💡 Research Questions about Democracy

How does a society’s education level impact the strength of its democratic institutions?
What role does media freedom play in promoting democratic values?
Relationship between economic development and political democratization.
How does income inequality affect the functioning of democratic systems?
What are the key factors that contribute to the stability of democratic governments?
How does the level of political participation among citizens influence the quality of democracy?
Researching the concept of democracy.
What is the role of political parties in shaping democratic governance?
How does the use of technology impact democratic processes and decision-making?
Asian economic development and democratization.
Does the presence of a strong judiciary contribute to the consolidation of democracy in a country?
How does the level of trust among citizens affect democratic practices?
What impact does gender equality have on the strength of democratic institutions?
The equality of income or wealth depending on democracy.
How does ethnic diversity influence the stability of democratic governments?
What role do non-governmental organizations play in promoting democratic values?
The democratic style of leadership.
How does government transparency impact citizens’ trust in democratic institutions?
How does the separation of powers principle contribute to democratic governance?
What impact do direct democratic mechanisms, such as referendums, have on decision-making processes?
How do political parties strengthen democracy?
How does the presence of independent media impact the accountability of political leaders in a democracy?
What is the role of civil society in ensuring the effectiveness of democratic governance?
Martin Luther Jr. “Jail Letter” and Aung San Kyi’s democracy excerpt.
How does the integration of minority communities impact the inclusiveness of democratic systems?
Does the involvement of citizens in local governance contribute to stronger democratic practices?
What role does the rule of law play in establishing a democratic society?
What are the impacts of social media on democracy ?
What factors contribute to the erosion of democratic norms and values?
What impact do international agreements have on the promotion and consolidation of democracy?
Democracy: pluralist theory and elite theory .
How does the role of money in politics influence the democratic decision-making process?
What impact do international human rights standards have on protecting citizens’ rights within a democracy?
What role does decentralization play in promoting democratic governance?
What is the impact of technology on democracy?
How does the level of government accountability impact the overall functioning of a democracy?
What is the relationship between economic development and the sustainability of democratic systems?
Comparison of democracy levels in Uruguay and Venezuela.
How does the level of political polarization impact the effectiveness of democratic governance?
What role do regional and international organizations play in supporting the nascent democracies?
How does the balance of power between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches influence democratic decision-making ?
What are the key challenges faced by young democracies?
What role does public opinion play in shaping democratic policies?
Middle East democratization.
How does the level of political corruption impact the functioning of democratic institutions?
What impact does globalization have on the democratic governance of nation-states?
What are the consequences of restrictions on freedom of expression in democratic societies?
Social media regulation and future of democracy.
What role do international democracy promotion programs play in supporting democratic transitions?
How do different cultural and historical contexts shape the understanding and practice of democracy?
Democracy and Western cultural values worldwide.
What factors contribute to democratic backsliding in countries that have previously experienced democratic transitions?
How does the presence of proportional representation contribute to inclusive and representative democratic governance?
What role do civic education and political literacy play in a democracy?
How does the level of social media usage impact the spread of disinformation and its effect on democratic processes?
African political parties’ endeavour for the implementation of the democracy.
How do citizen participation mechanisms, such as participatory budgeting, impact democratic decision-making?
How does the level of political party system fragmentation impact the effectiveness of democratic governance?
What role does the protection of minority rights play in establishing and sustaining democratic societies?
How does the level of regional integration influence the democratic governance and decision-making of member states?
The Australian Labor Party and the American Democrats: similarities and differences .
What impact does income distribution have on citizens’ satisfaction with democratic systems?
How does the presence of a strong civil service impact the capacity and efficiency of democratic governance?
What factors contribute to successful democratic transitions in countries with a history of authoritarian rule?
How does the level of trust in key democratic institutions impact overall democratic stability?
What factors contribute to economic failure in democracies?
What role does political leadership play in establishing and maintaining strong democratic systems?

Democracy and Elections Research Paper Topics

The impact of voter ID laws on democratic participation.
The influence of campaign finance spending on electoral outcomes.
Political participation and voting as democracy features.
The role of social media in shaping public opinion during elections.
The effectiveness of electoral college systems in representing the will of the people.
The effectiveness of international election observation missions in ensuring electoral integrity.
The impact of electronic voting systems on election integrity.
The role of political advertising in shaping voter preferences.
Low voter participation in democratic countries.
The relationship between political polarization and voter turnout.
The effectiveness of voter education programs in promoting informed decision-making.
The effect of voter suppression tactics on democratic participation.
The influence of party endorsement on candidate success in elections.
The impact of gender and ethnicity on political representation in elected offices.
Voting: democracy, freedom, and political agency.
The effectiveness of campaign debates in informing voter choices.
The influence of social factors and peer networks on political affiliation and voting behavior.
The effect of negative campaigning on voter perceptions and candidate success.
The role of non-traditional media sources in shaping public opinion during elections.
The role of technology in enhancing election monitoring and ensuring transparent and secure voting processes.
Electoral systems in a democratic country.
The influence of disinformation campaigns on voter behavior and their implications for electoral integrity.
The challenges and opportunities of implementing online voting systems for improving accessibility and election integrity.
The impact of non-voters and their reasons for not participating in the democratic process.
The impact of campaign advertising on voter behavior in democratic elections.
The role of social media platforms in electoral outcomes in democratic societies.
“The Electoral College Is the Greatest Threat to Our Democracy” by Bouie.
Electoral reforms and their effects on voter turnout and representation in democracies.
The influence of demographic factors and socioeconomic status on voting patterns in democratic elections.
The challenges and opportunities of implementing electronic voting systems to enhance the integrity and efficiency of democratic elections.

E-Democracy Research Topics

Digital divide and its implications for e-democracy.
Role of social media in promoting online political engagement.
E-government and democracy.
Challenges and opportunities for e-petitions as a form of democratic expression.
Cybersecurity challenges in ensuring secure and reliable e-voting systems.
Role of e-democracy in improving representation and inclusivity in decision-making processes.
Ethical considerations in the collection and use of personal data for e-democracy purposes.
Use of blockchain technology in enhancing transparency and trustworthiness in e-democracy.
The use of technology in promoting transparency and accountability in government.
American e-government and public administration.
Influences of online political advertising on voter behavior.
The potential of online deliberative platforms in fostering inclusive public discourse.
The role of online communities in mobilizing citizens for political action.
Effects of online platforms on political campaign strategies and communication tactics.
Use of technology in expanding access to information and knowledge for informed citizenship.
Strategies for building trust in e-government.
Evaluation of online political education programs and their impact on citizen engagement.
Open government initiatives and their role in fostering e-democracy .
Digital activism and its effectiveness in driving social and political change.
Online tools for monitoring and preventing disinformation and fake news in political discourse.
Role of digital identity verification in ensuring the integrity of e-democracy processes.
Challenges and opportunities for e-democracy in authoritarian regimes.
Public trust and perceived legitimacy of e-democracy systems and processes.

✍🏻 Topics for Essays about Democracy

Democracy argumentative essay topics.

The role of public protests in strengthening democracy.
The role of youth engagement in shaping the future of democracy.
Is the Democratic Party the Labour Party of the US ?
Should there be limits on freedom of speech in a democracy to prevent hate speech?
The tensions between national security and civil liberties in a democratic context.
Is direct democracy a more effective form of governance than representative democracy?
The United States is not really a democracy.
The significance of an independent judiciary in upholding democratic principles.
The importance of a robust and unbiased public education system for a thriving democracy.
Compulsory voting: is it compatible with democracy?
The impact of income inequality on democratic participation and representation.
The significance of constitutional reforms in addressing the challenges faced by democracies .
Does the digital age pose a threat to the principles of democracy?
Should prisoners have a right to vote in a democratic system?
Are referendums effective tools for democratic decision-making?
Democracy vs. other types of government .
Does the media have a responsibility to promote democratic principles and accountability?
Can a democratic government effectively balance national security and civil liberties?
Should there be limitations on the freedom of peaceful assembly and protest in a democracy?
Democracy is the tyranny of the majority over the minority.
Is the rise of populist movements a threat to democratic values?
Does globalization undermine national sovereignty and democratic decision-making?
Democracy: Durbin’s, Duckworth’s, and Krishinamoorthi’s positions.
Should judges be elected or appointed in a democratic system?
Is a strong independent judiciary essential for a healthy democracy?
Is the EU an example of a successful democratic regional integration project?
How can we provide political representation for non-citizens in a democratic society?
Is democracy a universal value, or should different cultures be allowed to adopt different governance models?
Democracy in the US: is it real today?
Should democratic governments prioritize economic growth or social welfare policies?
Should there be restrictions on the power of political parties in a democracy?
Is there a tension between individual rights and collective decision-making in a democratic society?
The role of national identity and multiculturalism in shaping democratic societies.
The effectiveness of citizen initiatives and participatory democracy.
Federal system’s pros and cons from a democratic perspective.
The importance of accountability and transparency in ensuring the functioning of democracy.
Should religion play a role in political decision-making in a democracy?
Does a two-party system hinder the development of democracy?
The influence of corporate power on democratic decision-making processes.
The tension between individual rights and collective needs in democratic societies.
Has the US government become more of or less of a republic, a confederation, or a democracy?
The role of education in fostering active and informed citizenry in a democracy.
Is a multi-party system more conducive to a healthy and inclusive democracy?
Should there be restrictions on political advertising to ensure fairness and transparency in democratic elections?
Should corporations have the same rights as individuals in democratic legal systems?
Is it necessary to separate church and state in a democratic society?
How democratic was the new Constitution and the Bill of Rights?
Should there be mandatory civics education to promote democratic values and participation?
Should there be age restrictions on political officeholders in a democracy?
Should digital voting be implemented to increase participation and transparency in elections?

American Democracy Essay Topics

The historical development of American democracy: from the Founding Fathers to the present.
The significance of the American Constitution and its amendments in ensuring democratic governance in the United States.
Government: United States Constitution and democracy.
The impact of the American Revolution on the birth of American democracy.
The separation of powers and checks and balances in the US government.
The significance of the Bill of Rights in protecting individual freedoms within American democracy.
Democracy: the Unites States of America.
The challenges and opportunities of citizen participation in American democratic processes.
The contributions of influential figures such as Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton to the development of American democracy.
Dahl’s “How Democratic Is the American Constitution?”
The evolution of political parties in American democracy: from the Federalists and Anti-Federalists to the Democrats and Republicans.
The role of the Constitution in establishing and safeguarding American democracy.
The two-party system and democracy in the US.
The impact of the Civil Rights Movement on expanding democratic rights and equality in America.
The ways media influences public opinion and its impact on American democracy.
The influence of money in American politics and its effects on democratic processes.
American democracy v. the social democracy: the healthcare system.
The impact of the women’s suffrage movement on democratic participation and gender equality.
The role of activism and social movements in shaping American democracy .
The influence of third-party candidates on American democracy and election outcomes.
Advancing democracy in the United States.
The challenges and reforms associated with the electoral college system in American democracy.
The impact of the progressive movement on democratic governance and social welfare.
Democracy and tyranny in the United States.
The role of the American presidency in shaping and upholding democratic principles.
The historical relationship between religious freedom and American democracy.
The influence of the labor movement on workers’ rights and democratic policies.
Analysis of democracy in the USA.
The significance of the New Deal and Great Society programs in fostering economic fairness and democratic values.
The impact of the Cold War on American democracy and the preservation of democratic ideals abroad.
Democracy in the United States of America.
The challenges and reforms associated with campaign finance regulations in American democracy.
The impact of modern technology on American democracy, including social media, data privacy, and online political engagement.
Democracy in America: elites, interest groups, and average citizens.
The significance of presidential debates in shaping public opinion and democratic decision-making.
The role of state and local governments in American democracy and their relationship with the federal government.
The impact of the Electoral College on presidential elections and its implications for democratic representation.
Interest groups in the American democratic system.
The relationship between media bias and democratic discourse in American democracy.
The impact of the populist movement, both historically and in contemporary politics, on American democracy.
The role of the First Amendment in protecting and promoting free speech in American democracy.
“What Republicans and Democrats Are Doing in the States Where They Have Total Power”: analysis.
The influence of foreign policy decisions on American democracy and the balance between national security and democratic values.
American women’s historical struggles and triumphs in achieving suffrage and fighting for equal rights in American democracy.
The shifting nature of American democracy.
The impact of the Black Lives Matter movement on public discourse, democratic activism, and policy change.
The labor movement’s influence on workers’ rights, economic policies, and democratic representation.
The US democracy’s promotion in the Middle East.
The significance of federalism in the American democratic system and the balance of power between states and the federal government.
The importance of a free and independent press in American democracy.
Democratic traditions in early American colonies.
The influence of religious groups on American politics, democratic decision-making, and social policy.
The role of non-governmental organizations in promoting democratic values, human rights, and social justice in America.
Edmund Morgan: the views of American democracy.
The protection of minority rights and the principle of majority rule in American democracy.
The role of civil society organizations in promoting and strengthening American democracy.

Jacksonian Democracy Essay Topics

The main principles and goals of Jacksonian Democracy.
The impact of Jacksonian Democracy on expanding voting and political participation.
Andrew Jackson’s first inaugural address.
The role of populism in shaping Jacksonian Democracy.
The controversy surrounding Jackson’s Indian Removal policies.
The influence of Jacksonian Democracy on the development of the two-party system.
The impact of the “Kitchen Cabinet” and informal advisors on Jackson’s presidency.
The economic policies of Jacksonian Democracy and its effect on the national economy.
The antebellum capitalism and Jeffersonians and Jacksonians capitalist ideals.
The expansion of land ownership and westward expansion under Jacksonian Democracy.
The role of women in Jacksonian Democracy and the early suffrage movement.
The controversy surrounding Jackson’s veto of the Bank of the United States.
The impact of Jacksonian Democracy on Native American rights and sovereignty.
The legacy of Jacksonian Democracy and its influence on subsequent political movements.
The significance of the Democratic Party’s rise during the Jacksonian era.
Andrew Jackson presidency: society, politics, veto.
The impact of Jacksonian Democracy on the growth of economic opportunities for common people.
The relationship between Jacksonian Democracy and the rise of American nationalism.
The role of newspapers and media in promoting or opposing Jacksonian Democracy.
The controversies surrounding Jackson’s removal of government deposits from the Bank of the United States.
The response of marginalized groups, such as Native Americans and African Americans, to Jacksonian Democracy.
The impact of Jacksonian Democracy on the development of the American presidency and executive power.
The long-term effects of Jacksonian Democracy on American political and social identity.

Questions about Democracy for Essays

What are the key principles and values of democracy?
How does democracy promote individual freedoms and rights?
“Democracy and Collective Identity in the EU and the USA”: article analysis.
What are the different forms of democracy, and how do they vary?
How does democracy ensure accountability and transparency in governance?
Concepts of democracy and wealth.
What is the role of elections in a democratic system?
How does democracy promote political participation and citizen engagement?
Discussion of democracy assignment.
What are the main challenges to democracy in the modern world?
How does democracy protect minority rights and prevent majority tyranny?
What are the political concepts of democracy and nationalism?
How does the media influence democratic processes and outcomes?
What role do political parties play in a democratic system?
What are representative democracy and its constituents?
How does democracy address social and economic inequalities?
What is the relationship between democracy and human rights ?
What are the benefits and drawbacks of direct democracy?
How does democracy impact economic development and prosperity?
Democracy description as a political system.
What role does the judiciary play in a democratic system?
How does democracy address issues of social justice and equality?
What are the implications of globalization for democracy?
Can democracy exist without a well-informed citizenry and a free press?
Democratic and authoritarian states .
How does democracy respond to extremist ideologies and populism?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of representative democracy?
How does democracy promote peaceful transitions of power?
How does democracy foster social cohesion and national unity?
How does democracy ensure the protection of civil liberties?
What is the nature and performance of Indonesia’s new democracy?
How does democracy reconcile the tension between majority rule and minority rights?
What are the roles of civil society and non-governmental organizations in a democracy?
How does democracy deal with issues of environmental sustainability?
Democracy: evolution of the political thought.
What are the effects of money and lobbying on democratic processes?
How does democracy guarantee freedom of speech and expression?
What is the Canadian political culture and democracy?
What is the impact of education and civic education on democracy?
How does democracy address the challenges of pluralism and diversity?
What are the implications of digital technologies for democracy?
The French Revolution: failed democracy and Napoleon .
What role does international cooperation play in fostering democracy?
How does democracy address the power imbalance between different societal groups?
What are the reasons for the failure of democracy in South America?
What are the historical origins of democracy and its evolution over time?
How does democracy protect the rights of marginalized and vulnerable populations?
What are the political apathy and low voter turnout consequences in a democracy?
How does democracy handle situations of crisis and emergency?
Democracy as a socio-political phenomenon.
What is the role of public opinion in democratic decision-making?
How does democracy ensure fair representation and inclusivity ?
What are the mechanisms in place to hold elected officials accountable in a democracy?

🎤 Topics about Democracy for Speeches

The importance of democracy in safeguarding individual freedoms and human rights.
The historical evolution of democracy: from ancient Athens to modern-day governance.
The essential concepts and principles of democracy.
Democratic revolutions and their impact on shaping the world.
The role of citizen participation in a thriving democracy.
Exploring the concept of direct democracy: can it work on a large scale?
Backsliding of democracy: examples and preventive measures.
The role of media in fostering accountability in a democracy.
Striving for gender equality and women’s empowerment within democratic frameworks.
Democracy and efforts to emphasize it.
The influence of money and campaign finance on democratic processes.
Democracy and social justice: addressing inequalities and discrimination.
The impact of education in building a democratic society.
The Republican and Democratic parties: issues, beliefs, and philosophy.
Democracy and the environment: Promoting sustainable practices .
The relation between democracy and economic development.
Mexico’s globalization and democratization.
The significance of a strong, independent judiciary in upholding the rule of law in a democracy.
The potential benefits and drawbacks of digital technology on democracy.
Youth engagement and the future of democracy.
Democracy: equality of income and egalitarianism.
Democracy in the face of political polarization and extremism.
Democracy and cultural diversity : balancing majority rule and minority rights.
Democratic society and the capitalist system.
The importance of civic education in nurturing active and informed citizens.
Democracy and peace: how democratic nations tend to avoid armed conflicts.
The role of international organizations in promoting democracy worldwide.
The struggle for democracy: bureaucracy.
Social media and democracy: examining their impact on political discourse.
Democracy and global governance: the need for collaborative decision-making.
Democratization processes that have reshaped societies.
The implications of demographic changes on democratic representation.
The challenges of ensuring democracy in times of crisis and emergency.
Democracy and immigration: the role of inclusive policies and integration.
Corruption in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The responsibility of democratic nations in addressing global challenges (e.g., climate change, pandemics).
The effects of fake news and disinformation on democratic societies.
Democrats and communists in 1950.
Democratic reforms: lessons learned from successful transitions.
The role of intellectuals and artists in promoting democratic values and ideals.
Democracy and the future of work: navigating technological advancements and automation.
Safeguard of democracy is education.
The importance of strong civil society organizations to democracy.
Democracy and national security: striking the balance between safety and civil liberties.
Representing the democracy of Florida.
The significance of a robust social welfare system in ensuring democratic stability.
Democracy and accountability in the age of surveillance and privacy concerns .
The future prospects of democracy: challenges and opportunities in the 21st century.
Democratic regime and liberation movements.
The role of transitional justice in post-authoritarian democracies.
Democratic decision-making: weighing majority opinion against expert knowledge.
The topic of democracy in various speeches.
Democracy and educational policy: the need for equitable access to quality education.
The influence of cultural, religious, and ideological diversity on democratic governance.
Democracy and intergenerational justice: balancing present needs with future aspirations.
Biden warns of US peril from Trump’s ‘dagger’ at democracy.

Democracy Debate Topics

Is direct democracy a practical and effective form of governance?
Should there be term limits for political officeholders in a democracy?
Social democratic welfare state.
Is compulsory voting necessary for a thriving democratic system?
Is money in politics a threat to democratic integrity?
Should there be limits on campaign spending in democratic elections?
Social democracy vs. social policy.
Should felons have the right to vote in a democracy?
Can social media platforms ensure fair and unbiased political discourse in a democracy?
Why does democracy work and why doesn’t it?
Is proportional representation more democratic than a winner-takes-all electoral system?
Should there be stricter regulations on political lobbying in a democracy?
Is it necessary to establish a global democracy to tackle global challenges?
Is the concept of majority rule compatible with protecting minority rights in a democracy?
Is populism a threat or an asset to democracy?
The struggle for democracy: how politics captures people’s interest?
Should the voting age be lowered to increase youth participation in democracy?
Should corporations have a say in democratic decision-making processes?
Is a strong centralized government or decentralized governance better for democracy?
Should the internet be regulated to protect its users from misinformation?
Is democracy the best form of government ?
Should religious institutions have a role in democratic governance?
Is international intervention justified to promote democracy in authoritarian regimes ?
Is a multi-party democracy more representative than a two-party system?
Should immigration policies be determined through democratic processes?

✅ Outline for an Essay About Democracy

We’ve prepared a mini guide to help you structure your essay on democracy. You’ll also find some examples below.

Democracy Essay Introduction

Would you like to learn how to write a strong essay introduction? We are here for you! The introduction is the first paragraph of your essay, so it needs to provide context, capture the reader’s attention, and present the main topic or argument of an essay or paper. It also explains what readers can expect from the rest of the text. A good introduction should include:

Hook . A hook is a compelling, attention-grabbing opening sentence designed to engage the reader’s interest and curiosity. It aims to draw the reader into the essay or paper by presenting an intriguing fact, anecdote, question, or statement related to the topic.
Background information . Background information provides context and helps readers understand the subject matter before delving into the main discussion or argument.
Thesis statement . It’s a sentence in the introduction part of the essay. A thesis statement introduces the paper’s main point, argument, or purpose, guiding and informing the reader about the essay’s focus and direction.

Hook : “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.” ― Winston S. Churchill.

Thesis statement : Democracy has endured the test of time, and although other forms of governance have failed, democracy has stayed firm.

Essay on Democracy: Body Paragraphs

Body paragraphs are critical in writing a great college essay. There are 5 main steps you can follow to write a compelling body paragraph:

Create a topic sentence.
Provide the evidence.
Explain how the evidence relates to the main points.
Explain why your arguments are relevant.
Add transition to the following paragraph.

Topic sentence : In a democratic system of governance, supreme authority rests with the people and is exercised through a framework of representation, often involving regular, unrestricted elections.

Supporting evidence : Democracy allows residents to participate in creating laws and public policies by electing their leaders; consequently, voters should be educated to select the best candidate for the ruling government.

Essay about Democracy: Conclusion

The conclusion is the final part of an academic essay. It should restate the thesis statement and briefly summarize the key points. Refrain from including new ideas or adding information to the conclusion.

There are 3 crucial components to the conclusion:

Rephrased thesis statement.
Summary of main points.
Thought-provoking or memorable closing statement.

Rephrased thesis statement : To conclude, democracy is a form of government that has proven its effectiveness and resilience in contrast to other governance systems.

We hope you’ve found our article interesting and learned some new information! If so, feel free to share it with your friends and leave a comment below.

Thesis Statements – The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
How to Write a Five-Paragraph Essay, With Examples | Grammarly
Creating a Thesis Statement, Thesis Statement Tips – Purdue OWL® – Purdue University
Paragraphs & Topic Sentences: Writing Guides: Writing Tutorial Services: Indiana University Bloomington
How to Write a Topic Sentence (With Examples and Tips) | Indeed.com

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Democracy Essay for Students in English

Essay on Democracy

Introduction.

Democracy is mainly a Greek word which means people and their rules, here peoples have the to select their own government as per their choice. Greece was the first democratic country in the world. India is a democratic country where people select their government of their own choice, also people have the rights to do the work of their choice. There are two types of democracy: direct and representative and hybrid or semi-direct democracy. There are many decisions which are made under democracies. People enjoy few rights which are very essential for human beings to live happily.

Our country has the largest democracy. In a democracy, each person has equal rights to fight for development. After the independence, India has adopted democracy, where the people vote those who are above 18 years of age, but these votes do not vary by any caste; people from every caste have equal rights to select their government. Democracy, also called as a rule of the majority, means whatever the majority of people decide, it has to be followed or implemented, the representative winning with the most number of votes will have the power. We can say the place where literacy people are more there shows the success of the democracy even lack of consciousness is also dangerous in a democracy. Democracy is associated with higher human accumulation and higher economic freedom. Democracy is closely tied with the economic source of growth like education and quality of life as well as health care. The constituent assembly in India was adopted by Dr B.R. Ambedkar on 26 th November 1949 and became sovereign democratic after its constitution came into effect on 26 January 1950.

What are the Challenges:

There are many challenges for democracy like- corruption here, many political leaders and officers who don’t do work with integrity everywhere they demand bribes, resulting in the lack of trust on the citizens which affects the country very badly. Anti-social elements- which are seen during elections where people are given bribes and they are forced to vote for a particular candidate. Caste and community- where a large number of people give importance to their caste and community, therefore, the political party also selects the candidate on the majority caste. We see wherever the particular caste people win the elections whether they do good for the society or not, and in some cases, good leaders lose because of less count of the vote.

India is considered to be the largest democracy around the globe, with a population of 1.3 billion. Even though being the biggest democratic nation, India still has a long way to becoming the best democratic system. The caste system still prevails in some parts, which hurts the socialist principle of democracy. Communalism is on the rise throughout the globe and also in India, which interferes with the secular principle of democracy. All these differences need to be set aside to ensure a thriving democracy.

Principles of Democracy:

There are mainly five principles like- republic, socialist, sovereign, democratic and secular, with all these quality political parties will contest for elections. There will be many bribes given to the needy person who require food, money, shelter and ask them to vote whom they want. But we can say that democracy in India is still better than the other countries.

Basically, any country needs democracy for development and better functioning of the government. In some countries, freedom of political expression, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, are considered to ensure that voters are well informed, enabling them to vote according to their own interests.

Let us Discuss These Five Principles in Further Detail

Sovereign: In short, being sovereign or sovereignty means the independent authority of a state. The country has the authority to make all the decisions whether it be on internal issues or external issues, without the interference of any third party.

Socialist: Being socialist means the country (and the Govt.), always works for the welfare of the people, who live in that country. There should be many bribes offered to the needy person, basic requirements of them should be fulfilled by any means. No one should starve in such a country.

Secular: There will be no such thing as a state religion, the country does not make any bias on the basis of religion. Every religion must be the same in front of the law, no discrimination on the basis of someone’s religion is tolerated. Everyone is allowed to practice and propagate any religion, they can change their religion at any time.

Republic: In a republic form of Government, the head of the state is elected, directly or indirectly by the people and is not a hereditary monarch. This elected head is also there for a fixed tenure. In India, the head of the state is the president, who is indirectly elected and has a fixed term of office (5 years).

Democratic: By a democratic form of government, means the country’s government is elected by the people via the process of voting. All the adult citizens in the country have the right to vote to elect the government they want, only if they meet a certain age limit of voting.

Merits of Democracy:

better government forms because it is more accountable and in the interest of the people.

improves the quality of decision making and enhances the dignity of the citizens.

provide a method to deal with differences and conflicts.

A democratic system of government is a form of government in which supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodic free elections. It permits citizens to participate in making laws and public policies by choosing their leaders, therefore citizens should be educated so that they can select the right candidate for the ruling government. Also, there are some concerns regarding democracy- leaders always keep changing in democracy with the interest of citizens and on the count of votes which leads to instability. It is all about political competition and power, no scope for morality.

Factors Affect Democracy:

capital and civil society

economic development

modernization

Norway and Iceland are the best democratic countries in the world. India is standing at fifty-one position.

India is a parliamentary democratic republic where the President is head of the state and Prime minister is head of the government. The guiding principles of democracy such as protected rights and freedoms, free and fair elections, accountability and transparency of government officials, citizens have a responsibility to uphold and support their principles. Democracy was first practised in the 6 th century BCE, in the city-state of Athens. One basic principle of democracy is that people are the source of all the political power, in a democracy people rule themselves and also respect given to diverse groups of citizens, so democracy is required to select the government of their own interest and make the nation developed by electing good leaders.

FAQs on Democracy Essay for Students in English

1. What are the Features of Democracy?

Features of Democracy are as follows

Equality: Democracy provides equal rights to everyone, regardless of their gender, caste, colour, religion or creed.

Individual Freedom: Everybody has the right to do anything they want until it does not affect another person’s liberty.

Majority Rules: In a democracy, things are decided by the majority rule, if the majority agrees to something, it will be done.

Free Election: Everyone has the right to vote or to become a candidate to fight the elections.

2. Define Democracy?

Democracy means where people have the right to choose the rulers and also people have freedom to express views, freedom to organise and freedom to protest. Protesting and showing Dissent is a major part of a healthy democracy. Democracy is the most successful and popular form of government throughout the globe.

Democracy holds a special place in India, also India is still the largest democracy in existence around the world.

3. What are the Benefits of Democracy?

Let us discuss some of the benefits received by the use of democracy to form a government. Benefits of democracy are:

It is more accountable

Improves the quality of decision as the decision is taken after a long time of discussion and consultation.

It provides a better method to deal with differences and conflicts.

It safeguards the fundamental rights of people and brings a sense of equality and freedom.

It works for the welfare of both the people and the state.

4. Which country is the largest democracy in the World?

India is considered the largest democracy, all around the world. India decided to have a democratic Govt. from the very first day of its independence after the rule of the British. In India, everyone above the age of 18 years can go to vote to select the Government, without any kind of discrimination on the basis of caste, colour, religion, gender or more. But India, even being the largest democracy, still has a long way to become perfect.

5. Write about the five principles of Democracy?

There are five key principles that are followed in a democracy. These Five Principles of Democracy of India are - secular, sovereign, republic, socialist, and democratic. These five principles have to be respected by every political party, participating in the general elections in India. The party which got the most votes forms the government which represents the democratic principle. No discrimination is done on the basis of religion which represents the secular nature of democracy. The govt. formed after the election has to work for the welfare of common people which shows socialism in play.

Essay on Election and Democracy for Students and Children

500 words essay on election and democracy.

A democratic government is said to be the best kind of government. It ensures the active participation of the people where the citizens get the chance to choose their government. The candidate or party whom the people choose is through elections.

Therefore, we see how elections play a pivotal role in a democracy. The party which secures the highest number of votes in the election process forms the government for the next term. That is why we see how elections are greatly crucial for a democracy.

Election Process in a Democracy

The election process in a democracy is usually similar in most ways. It is responsible for shaping the government of a democracy. Elections are conducted at regular intervals. In a democracy like India, they take place every five years. A committee is set to monitor the whole electoral procedure from the voters’ list to the results.

During the election process, various parties enroll themselves to contest in the elections. After thorough campaigning and more, dates are decided on which voting happens. People turn up in great numbers to cast their votes to make their candidate or party win.

Most importantly, in a democracy, the election process follows the method of a secret ballot. It is very beneficial for maintaining the fairness of the contest. Moreover, they also protect the privacy and safety of the voter as they are not liable to answer to anyone regarding their vote. It is one of the fairest ways to decide who wins the election.

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Importance of Election in Democracy

The election procedure just shows how important and crucial it is for a democracy. The process is very grand and takes place on a great level. As it requires a lot of work and attention, there are certain people who specifically get the responsibility of handling and managing the entire process.

Elections form the basis of democracy. They are very important as they help the people in getting a chance to contest the elections. It allows people to get a fair chance to work for their country and make a brighter future. Moreover, it also ensures that any person can become a part of the government without any discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, sex, religion or more.

Most importantly, elections entrust a big responsibility on the shoulders of the citizens. It helps in empowering the citizens of a democracy. You see that when a person earns the right to vote, they choose their government responsibly as they realize the power that lies within their hands.

Above all, the election process ensures fair play. They are a great way of preventing dishonest people from rigging the procedure. In short, fair and regular elections are a vital part of a democratic government. Similarly, they empower the common citizens of the nation to elect their government and also change it after a period of time to ensure everyone works for the best in the country.

FAQs on Election and Democracy

Q.1 What is the election process in a democracy?

A.1 The election process takes place at a regular period of time. People cast their vote to whomever they think id serving of being in power. Thus, the party with the majority of votes wins and serves the term.

Q.2 Why are elections important in a democracy?

A.2 Elections form the basis of any democracy. It ensures that the power resides within the people. It also ensures fair play and stops any unfair means from taking place. They are important to strengthen the essence of democracy.

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If you are a teacher searching for essay topics to assign to your U.S. government or civics class or looking for ideas, do not fret. It is easy to integrate debates and discussions into the classroom environment. These topic suggestions provide a wealth of ideas for written assignments such as position papers , compare-and-contrast essays , and argumentative essays . Scan the following 25 question topics and ideas to find just the right one. You'll soon be reading interesting papers from your students after they grapple with these challenging and important issues.

Compare and contrast what is a direct democracy versus representative democracy.
React to the following statement: Democratic decision-making should be extended to all areas of life including schools, the workplace, and the government.
Compare and contrast the Virginia and New Jersey plans. Explain how these led to the Great Compromise .
Pick one thing about the U.S. Constitution including its amendments that you think should be changed. What modifications would you make? Explain your reasons for making this change.
What did Thomas Jefferson mean when he said, "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants?" Do you think that this statement still applies to today's world?
Compare and contrast mandates and conditions of aid regarding the federal government's relationship with states. For example, how has the Federal Emergency Management Agency delivered support to states and commonwealths that have experienced natural disasters?
Should individual states have more or less power compared to the federal government when implementing laws dealing with topics such as the legalization of marijuana and abortion ?
Outline a program that would get more people to vote in presidential elections or local elections.
What are the dangers of gerrymandering when it comes to voting and presidential elections?
Compare and contrast the major political parties in the United States. What policies are they preparing for upcoming elections?
Why would voters choose to vote for a third party, even though they know that their candidate has virtually no chance of winning?
Describe the major sources of money that are donated to political campaigns. Check out the Federal Election Regulatory Commission's website for information.
Should corporations be treated as individuals regarding being allowed to donate to political campaigns? Look at the 2010 Citizens United v. FEC ruling on the issue. Defend your answer.
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Compare and contrast the campaigns of U.S. Senate and House of Representatives candidates.
Should term limits be instituted for members of Congress? Explain your answer.
Should members of Congress vote their conscience or follow the will of the people who elected them into office? Explain your answer.
Explain how executive orders have been used by presidents throughout the history of the U.S. What is the number of executive orders issued by the current president?
In your opinion, which of the three branches of the federal government has the most power? Defend your answer.
Which of the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment do you consider the most important? Explain your answer.
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Explain how the 14th Amendment has affected civil liberties in the United States from the time of its passage at the end of the Civil War.
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Democracy Is The Best Form Of Government: Arguments For And Against

Democracy is one of the most successful and popular forms of government in the world.

There are actually two types of democracy: direct democracy and indirect democracy.
Democracy was born in Athens, Greece in 5th century BC.
The 20th century was marked by an expansion in representative democracy.

What is democracy ? You probably hear this term in history or civics courses but take it for granted because it is such a common political system today. In 2013, it was reported that 123 countries in the world can be considered democracies. However, democracies were not always common. This governing system became more popular after World War I . Before the spread of democracy, colonial empires were commonplace. Colonial empires were systems of government that were ruled by kings, queens, or autocratic leaders. World War II was one of the only 20th century periods during which democracies did not expand, but many former colonies declared independence after World War II and shifted to democratic systems.

Ancient Greek Democracy

Democracy may have become a popular way for countries to govern themselves during the 20th century, but the ideas of democracy were born in Greece . Athens, Greece operated under a democratic system in the 5th century BC, and other Greek cities and towns did the same. The idea was to have a government by the people. Direct democracy, where people met in assemblies and made decisions, was once a popular form of democracy. Direct democracy was more appropriate for smaller communities. Most countries in the world today operate under indirect democracy. People choose representatives to protect their interests in government. In either case, there are arguments for and against democracy. Many people who are for democracy say that this prevents one person from gaining too much power and becoming a dangerous authoritarian. Even so, there are people who are critical of democracy and it is worthwhile to examine why some people feel this way.

Where We Stand Today

A Pew Research Survey found that most people are in favor of a democracy, but some people would be open to alternative modes of government. Their findings show that some people would prefer a direct democracy where people govern themselves directly. However, some people actually support autocratic governments, and many people say they would be open to having a government that is run by experts who are competent. People with different levels of education favor certain types of governments over others. A country’s economic position can also affect people's opinions. Feelings about democracy can change depending on economic circumstances.

Key Definitions

Here are some terms you should know:

Monarchy : rule by a single person, usually because they were born into the position.
Oligarchy : a government run by a few people.
Autocracy : a government with a singular head of state, usually with unlimited power.
Fascism : a type of autocracy that puts the interests of a nation or race above others.
Communism : a political theory that fights against the ownership of private property, and in which things are owned by the public and available for use whenever others need them.

Arguments for Democracy

Countries around the world embraced democracy in the 20th century, most notably after WWI and WWII. Prior to this shift, countries were ruled by oligarchies, monarchies, and self-appointed autocratic leaders. During World War II, the world saw the dangers of fascism and fascist leaders like Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. Democracy was supported because it allowed people to choose representatives with set term limits. Many citizens had seen how their countries were ravaged due to corruption and inequality caused by the rule of the few. Democracy was seen as a way to make sure no one person had too much power. Many democracies also wanted a free market. Before democracy, few people had control or say in the economy which allowed rulers and those in power to use their economic influence to silence critics or give large rewards to those who followed their lead. Democracies were seen as a way to decentralize the market, but many of the same forces that freed the market were imperative to the development of democracy. People need more resources and education in order to vote and make educated purchases or financial decisions. A free market allowed more people to improve their status, and the economic boom that occurred after WWII created favorable conditions for democracies that were born out of former dictatorships, autocracies, and monarchies.

Freedom of Speech

Experts and citizens often defend democracy because they say it allows people to speak freely and have the ability to criticize leaders they feel might not be doing what the public wants. In fascist regimes, people who criticized leaders were often punished, and many critics were tortured or executed. Philosopher Alexander Meiklejohn was a proponent of the link between democracy and free speech.

Respect for Human Rights

Pro-democracy arguments also include a greater likelihood of respect for human rights. That is because people must vote to make changes to laws or statutes. Democratic leaders cannot solely make unilateral decisions, and there are often other branches of government that can step in if this occurs. This is supposed to encourage democratic governments to be transparent about their work.

Checks on Power

Another common argument for democracy is that it allows citizens to be empowered to elect their representatives, which means that everyone is expected to compromise so that no one interest is considered more important. Elections are also a way to make sure leaders know there are limits to their power.

Debate and Exchange of Ideas

Democracies allow citizens to be exposed to various points of view before making their choice. This allows candidates, citizens, and stakeholders to have a proper debate about why they would better represent the people that elect them. Transparency in elections is also meant to promote peace because people are more likely to accept the results of a fairly-won election, even if the candidate that won is not the one they chose.

Arguments Against Democracy

There are also arguments against democracy. The Greek philosopher Socrates made some compelling arguments against democracy by birthright as early as 399 BC. It is important to consider the possible negatives when discussing democracy.

Charismatic, but Unqualified Leadership

Socrates argued that people need to be equipped to vote during elections instead of going about the process without the right information. Socrates felt that people need to be rational about who they vote for, not that they should not have the right to vote. He warned that people may be swayed by leaders who seem to provide all the right answers or know what to say. Basically, Socrates said that people might vote for someone because of how the candidate makes them feel, not because the candidate is able to do the job correctly.

Democracy Might Devolve into Tyranny

Another Greek philosopher, Plato, was also critical of democracy. He examined five existing government styles and looked at the pros and cons of these systems in his famous book The Republic . His argument is that people become tired of systems such as oligarchy and then succumb to democracy because they are hungry for power. He felt that crumbling democratic societies are more easily able to transition into tyranny once democracy becomes unsustainable.

There Might Be Reasonable Alternatives

At best, voting for the wrong person means that nothing gets done at the taxpayer’s expense. At worst, people are making an uninformed vote. Modern-day philosopher Jason Brennan echoes many of the warnings of Socrates, but he also created a new term to describe what he perceives as an ideal alternative to democracy: epistocracy. Brennan argues that people need to think about what they expect from the government and then become informed so they can choose representatives that accomplish the tasks their citizens want. He also argues for the “competence principle.” Voters should use their right and power to vote to the best of their ability in order to maintain their right to vote. Brennan also says that Singapore is a modern-day example of a technocracy . In a technocracy, experts run the government.

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Essay on Democracy: Top 11 Essays | Forms | Government | Law

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Here is a compilation of essays on ‘Democracy’ for class 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Democracy’ especially written for school and college students.

Essay on Democracy

Essay Contents:

Essay on the Merits and Demerits of Democracy in General

Essay # 1. Meaning of Democracy:

Democracy is a derivation from two Greek terms “Demos” and “Kratos”. The former word means the people and the latter word means power. So democracy means “power of the people”. In democracy the preeminent factor is the people. There the government is run by the people and the main concern is the welfare of the people.

Democracy has a great educative force, because it strives for the development of the personality of the citizens. So democracy is not only a form of government but a kind of upgraded society. These are the warp and woof of a culture which may be called democracy culture.

There are several definitions of democracy Lord James Bryce defined democracy:

“Democracy is that form of government in which the ruling power is vested not in any individual, or in a particular class or classes but in the members of the community as a whole.” Albert Venn Dicey characterised it as – “A form of government in which the governing body is comparatively a large fraction of the entire nation.” Abraham Lincoln gave the historic definition by calling democracy as “government by the people, of the people and for the people.”

Sir John Seeley gave a simple definition by describing democracy as- “A government in which everybody has a share.” For John Spencer Bassett- “Democracy is a political method by which every citizen has the opportunity of participating through discussion in an attempt to reach voluntary agreements as to what shall be done for the good of the community as a whole.” As a matter of fact, democracy is both a form of government and a way of life.

Although democracy has a definite and set method of its own, it has such a strong appeal that everybody and every institution tries to go by the name of democracy. The position has been nicely delineated by Carl J. Friedrich- “Democracy has been the battle cry of the twentieth century.”

Everyone is for democracy as he understands it. In the USA democracy means the existing scheme of things or some idealized version of it or even what the men of Philadelphia intended the constitution to be. In Britain too it means whatever one considers the government and politics of the country to be, but also more particularly what the Labour Party aspires to and has been seeking to accomplish, when it has been in power. In the USSR and communist China such American and British views are laughed at as reactionary.

According to each, their particular brand of communism is ‘true’ democracy. Such democracy presupposes a classless society and can only come after capitalism has been destroyed by the dictatorship of the proletariat since the end of the Second World War, and especially in the period of the Cold War these classes of outlook became acute.

Essay # 2. Forms of Democracy:

There are two kinds of democracy. They are:

(a) Direct democracy and

(b) Indirect democracy.

(a) Direct Democracy:

It takes the form of such government in which all the adult persons gather in a public place to make laws, pass budgets and elect the executive. This type of government was possible in small city-states of Greece where the entire population of the city could assemble. It is not suitable for a large state. According to Esmein- “Direct democracy simply involves an appeal from knowledge to ignorance and from responsibility to irresponsibility.”

More importantly, direct democracy might have been possible and desirable in small countries like ancient Greek and Roman city-states where population was very few and life was very simple. The system is not appropriate for modern large states which have a complex life.

The vastness of the modern state and its huge population and, above all, the large size of the electorate will make it unworkable and even impossible on financial and administrative reasons. Now it is to be found in five cantons of Switzerland.

(b) Indirect Democracy:

It is also called the representative form of democracy. It is that form of government in which the people themselves do not make the laws, pass the budget and elect the executive. In an indirect democracy the people elect their representatives and these representatives make laws, pass the budget and elect the executive. In all modern states democracies are indirect. Thus England, the USA, France and India have indirect democracy.

Essay # 3. Conditions Necessary for the Success of Democracy:

Democracy in the world is plagued by several maladies. As a cure, different philosophers have suggested different needs which include the reform of the electoral rolls, introduction of referendum, initiative and recall and increased cooperation of the people in the public affairs and improved capacity of the citizens.

But consensus among the political philosophers is that the following are the basic needs for the success of democracy:

1. Education:

A proper education is a must for the success of democracy. The sentinel of democracy is an educated and enlightened public opinion. Wide dissemination of knowledge and universalization of education is the pillar of democracy.

According to Dr Rajendra Prasad:

“Education is a power by itself and in any case a person bereft of it cannot have any chance of either realising himself to the full or making any effective or worthwhile impression on the policies and actions of the government of his country and region.”

Minus education, democracy will degenerate into mobocracy. Speaking at the Harvard University in 1987, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi asserted that in spite of widespread illiteracy, predominantly among the rural people, India could still be a democracy. He seemed to suggest that as far as democratic thoughts and exercise of wisdom, democratic rights and norms are concerned, common sense is more important than literacy.

A democracy without wisdom is a potential anarchy. Training in and education for democracy is of the utmost importance if our conception of freedom is to prevail, for, as the Archbishop of York stated in the British House of Lords on 15 July 1942 – “The most dangerous of all forms of government is that of an uneducated democracy. It has no power of criticism and is at the mercy of any demagogue and of any dictator.”

2. Vigilance:

Eternal vigilance is not the price of liberty atone. It is a price of democracy too. It makes demand on ordinary citizens to take part. But the lazy people say – “Oh! Leave it to someone else” . But if they leave it to someone else, sooner or later they may fall under a dictatorship and that will be fatal. Alertness on the part of the citizens is another big foundation of democracy. Without it, democracy will be usurped by the demagogues.

The Germans lost their democracy during the time of Adolf Hitler for want of constant vigil on the rights of the people of Germany. Hitler cleverly raised the dream of democracy before the people only to crush it. Unfortunately, for the want of alertness on the part of the people they could be so easily played into the hands of a potential dictator. This should be an eye-opener for all right thinking democrats.

Let us have a look into Bangladesh. That country established democracy in 1971. But soon the Bangladesh army liquidated the freedom-loving Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and captured power. Once again the wily politicians met with the same fate and put the country under military dictatorship.

This had been possible because there was no political awareness among the general people of Bangladesh. What happened in Pakistan and Bangladesh will not take place in England or the USA because there the people are politically conscious. This political vigilance is a must in a democracy.

3. Decentralisation of Political Powers:

Democracy functions effectively if there is a hierarchy of powers from the centre to the village unit. This kind of elaborate system of local self-government will train the people in the art and science of the government. Thus more power should be decentralised into the Panchayats and civic bodies. This type of democratisation of the institutions will minimise the scope of anybody to misuse the mechanism of the government.

Perhaps there is no better suggestion on it than that given by Dr K. N. Katju – “If I have my way, I would enact a law which would prescribe that no person should be elected to a legislature unless he or she had worked either in a municipality or in a Panchayat for minimum period of three years. A municipality gives the necessary experience in administration and tests in the individual members as to whether they would really serve the people or serve themselves.”

4. Civic Sense:

In a democracy the maximum participation of the citizenry is assured. There is a corresponding civic responsibility from the side of the citizens. The citizens should have high sense of moral rectitude. If the citizens idle away their responsibility there is an end to democracy.

In the absence of selfless devotion to the public good, democracy is maimed. Democracy is indeed a difficult government, because it presupposes civic capacity on the part of the citizens. According to Lord James Bryce, this capacity consists in “intelligence, self-control and conscience.” So Mrs. Indira Gandhi rightly said – “Democracy is the best form of government, but it is certainly the most difficult”

5. Spirit of Tolerance:

Democracy is a government of the majority. What should be the attitude of the majority towards the minority? It should be one of sympathy and tolerance. A religious and linguistic majority must not disrespect the similar sentiments of the minority. The majority must hear the view-point of the other people.

According to Mahatma Gandhi – “Evolution of democracy is not possible, if we are not prepared to hear the other side. We shut the doors of reasons when we refuse to listen to our opponents, or having listened, make fun of them. If intolerance becomes a habit we run the risk of missing the truth.”

According to Rajiv Gandhi – “Democracy means discussion. There is no place of violence in a democratic set-up. Tolerance is necessary for the success of democracy.” Thus democratic virtue is humility, because humility is needed for tolerance. But here is one thing the democrat cannot tolerate, namely injustice. His vigilant sympathy must be directed against all kinds of injustice.

6. Freedom of Speech Association Arid Press:

The bedrock of democracy is freedom of speech, association and press. If not democratic personality of a citizen cannot be fully blossomed. Democracy demands that all sections of the people should be taken into confidence as far as practicable. Mr. Rajiv Gandhi said – “Dialogue is the essence of democracy. In giving power to the people we have engaged in the most extensive process of consultation since independence”.

If there is no individual liberty there is no democracy. This liberty includes the freedom to freely and without fear express the views either in a public speech or in newspapers and other literary media. Man is a gregarious animal and as such there must be a guarantee of free association to mobilise public opinion. These are the three levers of democracy.

7. A Written Constitution Containing Fundamental Rights:

A written constitution is better than an unwritten one, because in it all the powers of the authorities and the rights of the citizens are put in black and white. If there is no written constitution, the rights of the people will be vague and uncertain. Fortunately, the constitutions of India, France, Australia and the USA have written provisions in which the fundamental rights are guaranteed.

Although the constitution of England is an unwritten one the fundamental rights are enshrined in the Magna Carta and the Bill of Rights. If the guaranteed rights of the citizens are taken away by any authority, the people can depose the government and establish a better one.

8. Separation of Power:

The theory of separation of power came as a safeguard of democracy. It enables different departments of government to act as checks and balances against each other’s power. It guarantees the equal representation in the sharing of power to every section of the government.

According to Charles-Louis Montesquieu, the father of this theory, concentration of powers of law-making and law-enforcing and law-interpreting in the hands of one person or body will be the very definition of tyranny. In operational terms this theory requires certain sequence in the functioning of the government. The legislature, in this system, should have, an open debate on the subject and pass it by a majority decision.

In the second stage the executive has to translate it into action. Judicial review will come in the third stage, in case there is an excess of arbitrariness in so executing the will of the legislature in the executive. The third stage by the most important check in this system, since the executive very often bypasses the legislature.

9. Opposition Party:

An effective opposition party is a shield of democracy. This is well stated by Lord Clement Attlee – “Democracy owes a good deal to the attacks of its opponents because it makes us conscious of what our democracy is.” Actually the opposition party works as the mirror of the government and enables the government to correct the wrongs.

According to Chakravarty Rajagopalachari:

“A strong opposition is essential for the health of democratic government In a democracy based on universal suffrage, government by the majority without an effective opposition in like driving a donkey, on whose back you put the whole load in one bundle. The two-party system steadies movement by putting a fairly equal load into each pannier. In the human body, two eyes and two ears enable a person to place the objects seen and heard. A single party democracy soon loses its sense of proportion. It sees but cannot place things in perspective or apprehend all sides of a question”.

10. Democracy is a Myth without Economic Equality:

It implies that there must be an economic democracy for the success of political democracy. If money is allowed to be accumulated in the hands of the rich few, how can the poor effectively exercise their democratic rights? It is said that in England the Bank of England rules and the USA has a dollar democracy.

This economic inequality eats out the vitals of democracy. If there is a right to work, a right to minimum wages and if the industries and big businesses are taken over and run by the government, democracy stands on a better footing.

11. Fearlessness:

The democratic people must be fearless and brave. Timid people do not deserve it. The most essential prerequisite for the successful functioning of democracy is that the people must be strong and courageous. If love for freedom dies in the hearts of the people, they will lose the ability to say “no” to an unprincipled direction of the boss and will compromise their dignity and human values for paltry gains. In such a condition democracy cannot survive. They must ceaselessly and fearlessly criticise the government that seeks to trample their liberties.

It is a truism that any political party, when it comes to power, tends to behave less democratically, for the power it acquires has a corrupting influence. The people must, there for, be always vigilant to their rights fearlessly. Otherwise, they will be in danger of losing their freedom.

Citizens’ Participation in Democracy:

One of the essential features of the government is the enlightenment of the citizens. This enlightened outlook enables the citizens to have meaningful participation in the democratic process. This participation may be positive by supporting the government in power. It may also take a negative form by protesting and opposing the government in power.

This participation may be at various levels of involvement. In order to make the participation effective and bring in a real input in the system, there should be freedom of expression. The freedom of the press and the mass communication media should become forums for free expression of views. The right to protest against the action of the government is a fundamental right and proper assertion of this right keeps the government on the democratic path of not only being responsible but also responsive.

It may be noted that the concept of civil disobedience of Henry David Thoreau from whom Gandhi learned the political movement of civil disobedience is an expression of the right of protesting against the actions of a government.

In a democracy the political system works on delicate balance which is maintained by acting on the enlightened and informed criticism. Thus in order to secure a meaningful participation of the enlightened people, the citizens should have access to and knowledge of all the affairs of the administration. Otherwise they will lose the status of citizens and will be reduced to the position of “subjects”.

According to Thomas Jefferson, the citizens have the right to “alter” or even “abolish” the government when it becomes “destructive”. President Woodrow Wilson went to the extent of asserting that, “If we forget how to object, how to resist, how to agitate, how to pull down and build up, even to the extent of revolutionary practices, we shall forget the very principles of our origin.”

Essay # 4. Democracy in India:

History of democracy in india:.

It is well-established that democracy as a form of polity and as a way of life is not at all alien to the Indian soil. Indian civilisation through the ages has been based on some of the most foundational norms of democracy like that of the role of the elected representatives in the social system and the equality and weal of all men and women.

With the ancient sabhas and samitis and their highly sophisticated procedures, the elective kingships, the republics, the janapadas and the village panchayats, gram sabhas and gram sanghas, India may be said to have been the cradle or the home of democracy and to have given the democratic ideals to the rest of the world.

The Rigveda and the Atharvaveda also speak of the assembly of the whole people (the samiti), the council of elders (the sabhas) and elected kings. This shows that democracy as later practised in Greece was already in existence in ancient Indian polity. It cannot, however, be denied that the modern concepts and structural patterns of democracy developed only during the nineteenth century in the West and influenced the evolution of the democratic norms and institutions everywhere.

India is a Democratic Country:

There is no doubt that India is a democratic country. The adult citizens of India after every five years, through secret ballots, elect their representatives in the Lok Sabha which is the lower house of the people. The ministers are chosen from among the members. The council of ministers is answerable to the Lok Sabha collectively. There are some rights which are considered fundamental and the courts of law, particularly the Supreme Court of India is the guardian of the fundamental rights.

All people are considered equal in the eye of law and there is no discrimination between man and man on grounds of religion, language, caste or sex. The President is the constitutional head like the Queen of England, while the Prime Minister is the real political executive. Any Indian can stand as a candidate for the post of the President or Prime Minister, no matter whether he is rich or poor, Hindu or Muslim.

Indian democracy is said to be better than even that of England and the USA. If India had followed the Margaret Thatcher brand of democracy, Mrs Indira Gandhi would have continued her emergency spell for a longer period. This was not possible because India has a written constitution.

British democracy, on the other hand, has been senile and many people are demanding a written Bill of Rights and an elected upper house in place of the House of Lords, which is packed with cronies of former Prime Ministers. Indian democracy will never accept such a situation. That India has a better democracy than that of the USA is brought home by Lord Clement Attlee – “India has practised democracy on a scale that even put the United States of America in the shade.”

India is the lighthouse of the democratic movement in the third world. The entire Afro-Asian world derives its democratic model of government from India. We conclude with the observation of Lord Clement Attlee – “Whenever there is a democratic movement in Asia and Africa too, they look to India, because India is the spear-point of democracy in Asia. India might have taken the torch from Europe, but it is burning brightly in India’s hands.”

Hindrances (Obstacles) for Democracy:

The above discussion must not blind us about the hindrances that are plaguing the growth and healthy functioning of democracy in India. These are by and large religious evils associated with ignorance and superstitions. In spite of outward pretension to secularism, our rulers are rather of medieval mentality and obscurantist to the core.

Even after forty-five years of independence, the Sati, child sacrifice, congregation of millions to wash their sins in the Ganga, and religious rivalry are very much in evidence.

The progressive erosion of English education is closing the windows through which we could look out into the world of science. Whenever a Hindi film heroine is in difficulty, she goes to a temple to pray and immediately God showers blessings on her! Such blind faith has stifled the spirit of enquiry and lulled us into inaction. We build more temples, mosques and gurdwaras than schools, libraries and hospitals.

Like many Muslim countries, fundamentalism has raised its ugly head in India. The Sankaracharya of Puri considers Sati a sacred act. Such a person should have no place in a civilised society, but here he has millions of followers. Thus some evil aspects of Hinduism are also responsible for retarding the growth of democracy in India.

It is common knowledge that Hinduism, as distinct from Christianity, is characterised by a hereditary caste system that runs completely counter to the spirit of democracy. Thus, we see that over every government proposal to abolish the caste system an alarm is raised by people on the upper rungs of the caste ladder.

Even the Marxist leaders, who are upper caste Hindus, yoke caste and communism together instead of trying to abolish the former. Reservation of jobs in service and places of educational institutions for backward castes could not have been justified in terms of democracy but for the recognition of caste distinctions in our society. Social reforms like abolition of caste system must be carried out first for Hinduism to survive with dignity before its first traditions and practices are upheld in the interest of democracy.

Essay # 5. Liberal Democracy and Socialist Democracy :

Democracy may be either of liberal brand or of socialist type. Both groups calls themselves the real democrats, calling others undemocratic. This is so because the term democracy is a very elastic conception. This made Bernard Crick remark – “Democracy is perhaps the most promiscuous word in the World of public affairs.” Let us first know the genesis and characteristics of both the expressions and then go to study their difference.

Genesis and Characteristics of Liberal Democracy:

It is not possible to define liberal democracy. We can point out some fundamental features of liberal democracy. S. E. Finer and Alan Ball, the two exponents of the expression liberal democracy, have different sets of characteristics for this sort of democracy.

For Finer, liberal democracy has four salient features. The first characteristic feature of liberal democracy is an elected legislature, sometimes with an elected head of state. The legislature represents public opinion through free elections, freedoms of speech, press, assembly and association.

The second important feature is its accountability of the consultative and advisory bodies to the legislature. The third element of the system is the social and economic checks and balances through a network of centres of private power.

The fourth hallmark of liberal democracy is a system of political checks and balances in three ways:

(1) Separation of powers which means that the government should be organised into three organs, namely – the executive, the legislature and the judiciary, each with different spheres of activities;

(2) Division of legislature into two houses called the upper house and the lower house; and

(3) A two-tier governmental functions, one for the centre and the other for the provinces.

Alan Ball, the other authority on liberal democracy, assigns to it the following seven elements. First, there must be multiple political parties to compete for political power. Second, such competition for political power must be free and open. Third, it is open to all to stand as a candidate for any post of political power. Fourth, there will be elections at regular intervals on the basis of universal adult suffrage. Fifth, there will exist civil liberties like freedom of speech, freedom of movement and freedom of religion.

The press, radio and television, which are agencies of public media, will not be under the exclusive control of the government. Sixth, there will operate some kind of separation of powers between the executive, legislature and the judiciary. The seventh hallmark is the pressure groups which will assert themselves in regulating the policy decisions of the government. The government will not control the trade union and other associations.

A wide range of population scattered over all the continents is covered by liberal democracy. England, France, the USA, India, Japan have liberal democracy.

Marx’s Theory of Democracy and the Genesis and Characteristics of Socialist Democracy:

The political form of the socialist state is called socialist democracy. A socialist state may be democratic or dictatorship in political nature. When the political form is democracy, it is called socialist democracy.

Distinguished from liberal democracy, which the Marxists call bourgeois democracy which is marked by private ownership of means of production with the inherent exploitation of the poor by the rich, the Marxists consider socialist democracy as the only genuine democracy because there is no exploitation of one class by other since there is complete public ownership of means of production. The other shining aspect of it is that the citizens are given economic rights.

There is a popular belief that Marx was an anathema for democracy. In effect, Marx was a believer in democracy, of course in his own way. Marx wanted to replace the existing democracy which he called bourgeois democracy, a concept equated with what we call liberalist view of democracy.

Marx called his democracy “socialist democracy”. Marx also wanted his democracy to be a rule by the people. But he gave different connotation of people. For him, it does not include the rich exploiters, feudal lords or similar other stocks. His people include only the proletariat class i.e. the working class. The power must belong to the workers and the peasants, who will establish the dictatorship of the proletariat. This will be built on the debris of capitalism.

Marx appreciated the liberal democratic system in as much as it terminated the era of feudalism. Liberal democracy, in its turn, will be replaced by socialist democracy in which there will be no unemployment, starvation, poverty or anything of like nature. The Marxist democracy has three aspects – social, economic and political.

In the social plank, it will obliterate class contradictions; in the economic front, it will establish common ownership of the means of production and distribution of goods; and in the political arena, it will establish the rule of the people through their free and voluntary associations called the Soviets.

To say in the words of Karl Marx and Freidrich Engels:

“In place of the old bourgeois society, with its classes and class antagonism, we shall have an association in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all”.

The Marxian theory of democracy underlined the need for economic equality which is a must for a socialist democracy. Marx and Engels in The Communist Manifesto recommended ten measures for adoption by the progressive countries of the world.

(i) Expropriation of landed property;

(ii) Heavily graduated income tax;

(iii) The abolition of all right of inheritance;

(iv) The confiscation of property of emigrants and rebels;

(v) The centralisation of credit in the hands of the state;

(vi) Centralised control of the means of communication and transportation;

(vii) Increase in the number of state-owned factories;

(viii) Equal liability of all to labour work;

(ix) Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; and

(x) Free public education.

The Marxists believe that with the implementation of the above measures, economic power would be equi-distributed and economic equality will be ensured. Thus the Marxian democracy is nothing but economic democracy.

Alan Ball suggests the following four elements as the basic features of socialist democracy. In the first place, there shall be a socialist ideology formulated and espoused by the government. In the second place, there will be complete public control in all avenues of life, political, social and economic.

In the third place, there is total absence of separation of powers and total denial of independence of judiciary. Finally, there shall be only one political party which is identifiable with the government.

Essay # 6. Difference between Liberal Democracy and Socialist Democracy:

Liberal democracy and socialist democracy differ on the following points. In the first place, unlike private property which exists with liberal democracy, there is no private property in socialists democracy. In socialist democracy, the means of production are complete public ownership.

In the second place, in a liberal democracy the people are given only political and civil rights like right to property, right to freedom of speech and expression which are not available in a socialist democracy. In contrast, the people are assured right to work, rest and right to security in old age, which are a far cry in liberal democracy.

In the third place, the print media like newspapers and electronic media like cinema, television are in the firm grip of the government in a socialist democracy, while these are left free in liberal democracy.

In the fourth place, the governmental noose is tightened over the trade union and voluntary associations in the case of socialist democracy. In juxtaposition, liberal democracy prefers not to interfere in those areas.

In the fifth place, liberal democracy permits any number of political parties as required. But in a socialist democracy there is only one political party.

Last, but not the least, is that the concept of separation of power with independence of judiciary is enthroned in liberal democracy. In a socialist democracy, the difference between the executive, legislature and judiciary is totally obliterated.

Essay # 7. Difference between Socialist Democracy and Democratic Socialism:

Although socialist democracy and democratic socialism look very much alike, they are quite different cups of tea. Socialist democracy is a kind of democracy. It is more socialist and less democratic. Its goal is socialism. In contrast, democratic socialism is more democratic and less socialist.

Socialist democracy is opposed to liberal democracy. Democratic socialism, on the other hand, is not opposed to liberal democracy and at times the two are almost the same. Democratic socialism is a kind of socialism which abjures violence and attains socialism by peaceful means as against the use of force. Otherwise, it is a half-way socialism in as much as it believes in private property, more than one political party and allows private bodies to control the means of production.

It is liberal socialism, because it upholds the concept of separation of power and maintains the dignity of independence of judiciary. England, the USA, France and India are examples of democratic socialism, because in these countries the government has a welfare programme very much like socialism and at the same time keeping all the trappings of liberalism like free press, free political party, free elections on the basis of universal adult franchise and private property for the citizens and allowing both private and public bodies to control the means of production.

In all these counties the power is captured by a non-violent method through secret ballots, as against use of force which is the method of the Marxists capturing power. There is definitely exploitation of one class by another. So in this way we find democratic socialism merging with liberal democracy. The example of socialist democracy is People’s Republic of China and the now defunct the USSR. In both these countries socialism in its full blast existed.

Essay # 8. Classical Theory of Democracy:

The basic theory of democracy, as it is handed down to us by the Greeks, is rule by the people. Pericles called it “people’s power” and Herodotus explained – “Rulers are accountable to the people for what they do therein.” In the eighteenth century Roussueau underlined the popular participatory aspect of it and following him, John Stuart Mill also highlighted people’s participation in the governance of the country as the best form of government.

Although Rousseau and Mill were the principal votaries of the classical theory of democracy, they were joined by several other political thinkers like John Locke, Edmund Burke, Jeremy Bentham, Thomas Green, Albert Ven Dicey, James Bryce, A. D. Lindsay and Harold J. Laski. Since Rousseau and Mill gave a complete picture of classical theory, we shall discuss their views as the basic features of the classic theory of democracy.

Classical Theory of Democracy as given by Rousseau:

Rousseau gave a very clear exposition of the classical theory of democracy by emphasising on the individual’s participation in the policy making functions of the government.

The following are the details of what he meant by participatory democratic theory:

(i) In all major decisions of the government an individual citizen must have his say;

(ii) Individual participation will ensure protection of private property and good government;

(iii) Participation will prove that he is master of himself and not slave of somebody’s decision;

(iv) By participating in the public life, an individual will enhance his prestige as a member of the community;

(v) This will induce him to evolve socially responsible actions and as such, the participation will have educative value;

(vi) The participatory process will lead to economic equality and freedom.

According to Rousseau:

“No citizen shall be rich enough to buy another and none as poor as to be forced to sell himself”.

Classical Theory of Democracy as given by Mill:

James Stuart Mill buttressed Rousseau’s classicism and fitted it into the modern state.

The following are the main planks of Mill’s participatory process:

(i) Following Rousseau, Mill wanted that the individual should take public interest to widen his outlook;

(ii) Participation must begin at home i.e., in local bodies on a limited scale and then application of the experience in bigger experiments;

(iii) The most capable person should be voted to power. This public responsibility requires education. An educated person should have more votes than the uneducated ones;

(iv) Mill wanted that the participatory functions should be extended to the industries;

(v) Individual right is so remarkable that the opinion of the entire nation cannot and should not silence the minority decision.

Defects of People’s Participation:

Critics attack the participatory process on the following counts:

In the first place, if the uninterested and ill-informed people are asked to participate in the policy making functions of the government, it will do more harm than good.

In the second place, no state has gained by increasing the number of voters, if the voters are not enlightened and dutiful. Best few must be better than bad many. The illiterate voters misuse their votes and even sell their votes. This will bring democracy to its knees.

In the third place, the elitists believe that the art of politics might better be left to the most enlightened minority. Leadership of the country cannot be left to the voters. This will create chaos and confusion.

In the fourth place, if the voters themselves are to evolve the defence and foreign policy, it will be a bad day for democracy. This will result in the tyranny of the masses. This will be unworkable in a vast modern state.

Conclusion:

Lack of representation will make the government in the hands of unresponsive and unscrupulous persons and will thereby weaken the political system. With the loss of participation, political education will be on the low key. Whether it is possible or not, our ideal should be to have individual participation. A least in the field of ideology, participatory democracy is the best one.

Elitist Theory of Democracy:

The elitist theory of democracy is the opposite term of classical theory of democracy. We have noted that the emphasis of the classical theory of democracy is on the participatory process of each and every individual citizen. All should have a say in the policy making function of the government.

In contrast, the elitists believe that only a few persons are enlightened and efficient enough to run the government and so these privileged few, who are more intelligent, should alone be invited to hold on the reins of political power. Thus a minority of population will rule over the majority of the population.

The term elite stands for the chosen element in the population. All men are not equal. Some are more equal. Actually these ‘more equals’ constitute the elite. Suzanne Keller defined the elites as: “Elites are those minorities which are set apart from the rest of society by their preeminence in one or more of these various distributions.”

This idea is as old as the Greek political thinker of fourth century B.C., namely Plato. In his Republic, Plato reserved political power for the philosophers so much so that he believed that the evils of the society can be removed only if the philosophers made the rulers.

To say in his words – “Until philosophers are rulers the cities will have no rest from their evils.” In the system of slavery, the freemen who are elites ruled over the slaves and in the feudal system the barons ruled over the serfs. In today’s South Africa, the minority whites are ruling over the black majority. The elitists support a kind of aristocracy or oligarchy.

The authors of the elitist theory are two Italian sociologists, namely Vilfredo Pareto and Gaetano Mosca. Later on a disciple of Mosca, Robert Michels, developed the theory in Germany. Then came four more elitists in the scene. They are O.Y. Gasset, James Burnham, C. Wright Mills and Harold Lasswell. According to Pareto, the present history is the history of the relation between the elite and the non-elites. The much more numerous class acquiesces in subordination to the elites who rule over them.

The elites have all the qualities of the lion and fox. We know that Machiavelli made his prince the embodiment of the fox and the lion. Robert Michels openly uses the word oligarchy to explain his view of the elitist – “He who says organisation, says tendency to oligarchy. The machinery of organisation completely inverts ‘iron law of oligarchy’.

James Burnham and C. Wright Mills are of the view that economic and social power was the most pivotal factors in the game of elite letting down the non-elites. They took their cue from Marxism. The elitist theory starts with the premise that there is an inherent inequality among the people, politically, economically and socially and that the chosen element of the population must have an exalted position in the society.

It is in this context that Maurice Duverger suggested that the erstwhile theory of government by the people should be replaced by government by the elite sprung from the people. This chosen element is found in a family club, trade union, bureaucracy and armed forces too. The elites grow up as a result of heredity, skill in arts and literature, position in ruling class and bureaucracy. They have both material affluence and physical strength.

Criticism of the Elitist Theory of Democracy:

The following sharp criticisms are levelled against the elitist theory:

(i) The elitist theory supports inequality and moves the slate-craft in the back gear. It encourages racial discrimination of the type of apartheid in South Africa.

(ii) It ignores the mass people who are the very basis of democracy.

(iii) It cuts the society into two artificial blocs by driving the wedge between two artificial segments of people.

(iv) It concentrates powers in the hands of the bureaucracy without any definite authority to supervise over it. The system is bound to degenerate into corruption and final ruin of the nation. As Lord Acton said: “Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

(v) The privileged few to have the monopoly of power is nothing short of oligarchy or aristocracy. There cannot be any such oligarchic element or aristocracy in democracy.

(vi) All major revolutions of the world took place in protest against the privileges enjoyed by the chosen few in exclusion of the mass people. So, the elitist theory is danger mark in political system.

Although as an ideal we cannot support the elitist theory of democracy, in practice it is an admitted fact that in all forms of government the switchboard of power is in the hands of the elites, because they are efficient and most competent to do so. It is true that inequality is bad, it is equally true that inequality is the order of the day everywhere. So although we may not support elitism, there is no way out.

Essay # 9. Constitutional Democracy:

Division of power is the basis of constitutional democracy. This is also called constitutionalism. Constitutionalism may be monarchical or it may be republican, it may be aristocratic or democratic. When the people of America speak of “democracy” they usually mean constitutional democracy. Of course there are those who would define democracy simply as the rule of the majority without any constitutional framework within which such majority decisions are to be made.

Such absolute democracy is, however, rare in the history of political institutions and nowhere to be found in contemporary Europe or America. Constitutionalism is an achievement of the modern world. It is a very recent achievement and it has by no means became stabilised.

Essay # 10. Merits and Demerits of Direct Democracy:

Like all institutions and concepts in political science direct democracy has both bright and dark sides. The other name of direct democracy is pure democracy.

Merits of Direct Democracy:

The most remarkable advantage of a direct democracy is that it offers direct participation of the citizens in the affairs of the government. The logic in support of direct democracy is that if democracy is a government by the people it must be given to the people directly and completely. Otherwise, democracy will not function effectively. In that sense, the representative democracy or indirect democracy is to be rejected as half-democracy.

Secondly, if the people are directly involved in the formation of the government, in making law or similar key roles in the run of the administration, they will take more and lively interest in public affairs. It is seen that when the final task is done by another set of people, the former set of people do not take much interest in it, because they feel that there are some other persons to give it final shape.

It is pointed out that, by keeping an intermediate body between the people and the government, a representative democracy or indirect democracy establishes a gap between the people and the government. This is against the very spirit of democracy.

Demerits of Direct Democracy:

The most serious demerit of direct democracy is that it is out-dated and out-molded and not at all suitable for a modern state which is very vast and so cannot be brought under the umbrella of direct democracy. No doubt there was a time in the past when the small states in Greece and Rome were directly and efficiency ruled by the people. Such tiny states are no longer available in the modern world.

Today’s states are very vast with a huge population. Let us take the case of India, one of the largest democracies of the world. How can all the people of India gather together in one place and make laws for the whole of India?

There is no such big area to accommodate all the people of India. Again, if all the people go to that place to make laws for India, who will look after their jobs like cultivation, works in the factory, teaching in the educational institutions, etc.? This will create chaos and confusion all over the county. So, on the ground of inexpediency, the pure democracy is to be discarded.

Secondly, if the entire population is to run the government from making law to its implementation, we are to assume that all people are equally intelligent and equally capable for all such work. But our experience is that all people are not equal in calibre. It is a common knowledge that the fools, idiots, beggars, the illiterate mass have no capacity to understand the art and science of government. It will be too much to strain their efforts to carry on the administration.

It is a fact that some people are more trained and capable in running the government. So they alone should be given the job. They can be directly elected by the people and as the representatives of the people they will carry on the political game.

A secondary body like this is also necessary to check the passion and impulses of the common people. It is seen that the mass people go by passion, not by reason. Their representatives, who will be more reasoned and seasoned, should be given the task of running the country.

Essay # 11. Merits and Demerits of Democracy in General:

Merits of democracy:.

First, democracy is ethically sound because it is opposed to the idea of one man ruling over another man. In a democracy no individual or a group of individuals but the entire community is vested with sovereign power. According to John Dewey – “The foundation of democracy is faith in the capacities of human nature, faith in human intelligence and in the power of pooled cooperative existence.”

Only that person is said to be free who possesses a vote and shares in determining state policy and electing the government. John Stuart Mill said – “What toucheth all should also be decided by all.”

Secondly, democracy promotes the common welfare of the people Democracy caters to the needs of all because all shades of opinion represent the government. In such a system, a citizen is the ruler and at the same time the subject and thereby it conforms to the axiom that a just government is a government by consent of the governed.

In this context John Stuart Mill said:

“The participation in governmental affairs lift the individual above the narrow circle of his egoism and broadens his interests. Democracy makes an individual interested in his country and gives him a sense of responsibility.”

Thirdly, it is in democracy that the concept of rule of law can have a full play. According to this concept, which came from England, nobody is above law and everything must be done in accordance with the mandates of law. This principle is not only a replacement of the personal rule of a King but also a brake on the misuse of power by the government or any authority.

Fourthly, democracy nurses the spirit of patriotism and nationalism of the people and evokes spontaneous obedience to law. In a democracy the people feel that they themselves are the government and the nation rolled into one.

This is rightly stated by John Stuart Mill:

“Democracy strengthens the love of country, because the citizens feel that the government is their own creation and the rulers their servants rather than masters.” This idea tinctures into them a spirit of patriotism and nationalism.

Fifthly, a democratic form of government cannot be tyrannical or oppressive, because it is responsible to the people at large. In a democracy the government is voted to power by the people and is answerable for its actions and policies to the rock-bottom of the people. If the government fails to fulfil the aspirations of the people, it will be overthrown by the people in the next election. Again, there are free press and strong opposition which keep the government on guard.

If the ruling party goes astray it will be outvoted in a vote of no-confidence. So a democratic form of government is a responsible government. In defence of democracy John Stuart Mill wrote – “The whole people or some numerous portion of them exercise; the governing power through deputies periodically elected by them.”

Sixthly, a change in the government in a democracy is effected not in a violent way but through a peaceful method and thereby ensures a stability in administration. No other form of government has such a peaceful transition. When a revolution took place in England in 1688 to replace the disliked King James II by Willaim III, this was done without inviting any bloodshed. So democracy is capable of meeting this type of national crisis peacefully.

This is a singular advantage of the democratic form of government.

So A. D. Lindsay rightly maintained:

“A democratic society sure of itself can be indefinitely elastic in its methods. It can, as in a time of crisis, give enormous powers into the hands of the government, in cheerful confidence that, the crisis past, it can take them away.”

But this is not possible in any other type of government. This peaceful transition’ makes the government durable. As R. G. Gettel rightly observed – “Popular intelligence and virtue are its most valuable results. Popular election, popular control and popular responsibility ensure not only efficiency in government but also stability in the state.”

Seventhly, democracy guarantees equality and liberty. Democracy makes no discrimination between the high and the low, the rich and the poor, and the wise and the fools and throws open all the opportunities, in the state to all the citizens of the state. Freedoms of all types are thereby ensured to all the citizens.

There is equal treatment for the son of a minister and the son of a peon in a democratic state. Similarly, the Hindus and the Muslims, or, for that matter, all men of different faiths, are never discriminated in the enjoyment of liberties. So John Stuart Mill emphasised – “Democracy is superior to other forms of government because the rights and interests of every person are secure from being disregarded.”

Eighthly, democracy ensures openness. One of the characteristics of democracy is its openness. The people value the performance of such democratic norm on the basis of availability of information, which they gather from a free press. Again, in the protests of the opposition and the public pressures made in the legislature are found other guarantees of openness of the government in a democracy. The parliamentary control over public policy through democratic debates preserve the endurance of the government.

The dictatorial or a totalitarian system, on the other hand, operates in the mystiques of secrecy. In such a system, politics is rather exclusive and insulated. Thus dictatorship follows the guarded path, as a result of which the administration becomes a professional hideout of secrecy and confidential activities.

In such a system popular participation in the administration is absent and the committed model of bureaucracy keeps public administration loyal, efficient and secrecy-oriented. There stricted norms of secrecy are demanded and adhered to in public interests. But this keeps the government weak because it has no knowledge of what the people are thinking of the government. Since there is everything open in a democracy, the government knows the pulse of the nation. That is why there is practically no revolt or coup d’etat which is very common in dictatorship.

Finally, democracy contains a unique educational value and an assurance for freedom. Democracy goes hand in hand with education and self-government. All citizens are trained in the lesson of making laws, enforcing them and how to contribute their utmost in the welfare of the state.

Both the ruling and the opposition parties bring the benefits of political education at the national, provincial and village levels. In a democracy the entire nation is graded from the top to the bottom with the lessons of political education and self-government.

Demerits of Democracy:

In 1900, democracy was looked upon as the final form of government for all civilised states. It was assumed that all policies on social, economic and international aims came within the framework of democratic government. But many an African and Asian countries that attained independence and established democracy as the form of government had to give up and surrender to military dictatorship.

There the “Humpty Dumpty” of democracy “had a great fall” and were replaced by dictatorships. These threw challenge to the bases on which democracy as a form of government stands. These were indications that all was not well with democracy. As moon has its dark spots, democracy always does not present a totally rosy picture.

The major drawback of democracy is that its accent of emphasis is on quantity rather than quality and thereby democracy imposes the tyranny of the brute majority. It does not recognise the inherent inequality in the calibre or wisdom which differs from man to man as a biological fact.

Thus when quality is ignored and the idiots are brought into prominence, democracy becomes a government by the ignorant and the unintellectual. So H. L. Mencken accused democracy for standardising life on a low level as if all wisdom lies with the inferior four-fifths of mankind. A. J. Carlyle called this multitude “mostly foolish”. The brute majority of mechanism established the rule of the fools over the intelligent ones who are in the minority. Thus what we get in a democracy is simply the tyranny of the people on the ground that they are in the majority.

This type of tyranny has a tendency to curtail the liberty of the individuals. Thus in India in the name of internal security or defence of India the people are locked up in jails without trial. It is for this reason that William Edward Lecky condemned democracy as opposed to liberty.

Secondly, democracy breeds inefficiency and corruption. In a democracy the administration is as slow as snails. It is marked by the red-tapsism of the bureaucrats in a way that everybody’s business is nobody’s business. It is for this reason that Emile Faguet calls democracy as “cult of incompetence”. The other inherent flaw of democracy is that it is incapable of meeting any emergent situation like the First World War and the Second World War, with the result that many democratic countries had to assume dictatorial power to meet the war situation.

The elements of corruption in democracy are “spoil-system”, “lobbying” and “log-rolling”. The self-seeking leaders enter into coalition with seemingly unacceptable parties and to stay on power by distributing offices and various kinds of favouritism Thus democracy is a breeding ground of inefficiency, nepotism, jobbery and favouritism. So Jawaharlal Nehru complained – “The speed of change in a democracy is obviously somewhat slower. The processes are slower than in an autocracy or authoritarianism.”

Thirdly, democracy encourages unhealthy party politics and discourages literary and artistic activities. In a democracy things are seen not with one’s own eyes but through the eyes of the party bosses. So the party-men falsify facts, distort issues, make false propaganda and appeal to the emotions of the masses. Not only that. It is indifferent to the cause of education, literature and fine arts. So all great centres of education were established under the patronage of the absolute monarchy.

The famous literatures like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata did not flourish under democracy. The same is true with regard to the architectures and sculptures of Ellora, Ajanta and the Taj Mahal. So C. D. Burns is of the view that – “Democracy produces a civilisation which is banal, mediocre or dull.”

Fourthly, democracy is an expensive plutocracy. The decentralisation of government for the sake of self-government and the entire election system are very expensive. Thus huge money is spent in the general elections or the presidential election and the election of the civic bodies.

Thus it is burdensome and very often grinding on the developing countries. Democracy does not ensure liberty or equality. In effect, in a democracy the rich classes and ambitious leaders exploit the ignorant and the simple masses for their selfish gains. So Freitschke called democracy “a corrupt dollar worshipping plutocracy or oligarchy of the rich.” Well condemned American democracy as “corrupt plutocracy”.

The merits of democracy must outweigh its demerits. Democracy stands for life and progress. Under favourable conditions it gives encouragement to self-reliance, initiative and responsibility. It holds authority in trust and guarantees equal considerations for all.

According to J. W. Goethe, democracy must be recommended as the best form of government because – “What is the best government? That which teaches us to govern ourselves.” Democracy is a tender plant and it needs to be nourished and watered by hands of faith. This done, Switzerland is a shining example of the success of democracy. So we may conclude with the words of Indira Gandhi – “Democracy is the best form of government, but it is certainly the most difficult.”

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72% of Americans say the U.S. used to be a good example of democracy, but isn’t anymore

Ahead of the November presidential election, just 19% of Americans say democracy in the United States is a good example for other countries to follow, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in April.

A bar chart showing that most Americans – and many around the world – think U.S. democracy is no longer a good example to follow.

The most common view – held by 72% of Americans – is that democracy in the U.S. used to be a good example, but has not been in recent years. Another 8% of Americans say U.S. democracy has never been a good example for other countries to follow.

Americans are much more likely than people in other countries to say U.S. democracy used to be a good example. A median of 40% of adults across 34 other countries surveyed in 2024 take this view.

This Pew Research Center analysis examines views of American democracy among people in the United States and in 34 other countries we surveyed this year.

For non-U.S. data, this analysis draws on nationally representative surveys of 40,566 adults conducted from Jan. 5 to May 21, 2024. All surveys were conducted over the phone with adults in Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Surveys were conducted face-to-face in Argentina, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ghana, Hungary, India, Israel, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tunisia and Turkey. In Australia, we used a mixed-mode probability-based online panel.

A world map showing the countries included in this analysis.

In the United States, we surveyed 3,600 adults from April 1 to April 7, 2024. Everyone who took part is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

For more information on how people in 34 other countries view democracy in the United States, refer to our June report: “Globally, Biden Receives Higher Ratings Than Trump.”

Here is the question used for this analysis , along with responses, and its methodology .

Americans’ views differ by age, party and voter status

A bar chart showing that views of U.S. democracy differ by age and party.

Relatively few Americans overall see the nation’s democracy as a good example for other countries to follow. But adults ages 50 and older are more likely than those under 50 to hold this view. Younger adults, on the other hand, are more likely than older adults to say American democracy has never been a good example (11% vs. 4%).

Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are somewhat more likely than Republicans and Republican leaners to see U.S. democracy as a good example (22% vs. 17%). This is nearly the reverse of where things stood in February 2021, when 24% of Republicans and 16% of Democrats saw democracy in the U.S. as a good example.

Opinions also differ by voter status. Among Americans who are registered to vote, 21% see U.S. democracy as a good example, compared with 13% of those who are not registered to vote. Registered voters are also somewhat more likely to answer this question.

Globally, views of American democracy differ by country

A bar chart showing that views of the state of U.S. democracy vary widely around the world.

As in the U.S., the most common view across the other countries we surveyed this year is that American democracy used to be a good example for other nations to follow, but has not been in recent years. However there are big differences by country.

Around two-thirds of adults in Canada (67%) and Japan (65%) say democracy in the U.S. used to be a good example. By contrast, only 12% in Bangladesh, 18% in Ghana and 19% in India hold this view, though sizable shares in Bangladesh and India do not offer an opinion.

Elsewhere, large shares of the public take the view that U.S. democracy has never been a good example for other countries to follow. Around half of adults in Turkey (52%) say this, as do 45% in Tunisia.

And like in the U.S., younger people in other countries are often more likely than their elders to say American democracy has never been a good example. In Greece, for instance, 54% of adults under 35 say this, compared with 34% of those 50 and older. There are also notable age gaps in Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden.

This pattern is reversed in several other countries. Older adults in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Singapore and Turkey are more likely than younger people to say American democracy has never been a good example.

(Read more about global views of U.S. democracy in our June report.)

Note: Here is the question used for this analysis , along with responses, and its methodology .

U.S. Democracy
U.S. Global Image

Janell Fetterolf is a senior researcher focusing on global attitudes at Pew Research Center .

Download Sofia Hernandez Ramones's photo

Sofia Hernandez Ramones is a research assistant at Pew Research Center .

Americans differ by party, ideology over the impact of social media on U.S. democracy

Social media seen as mostly good for democracy across many nations, but u.s. is a major outlier, public has modest expectations for washington’s return to divided government, turnout in u.s. has soared in recent elections but by some measures still trails that of many other countries, two years after election turmoil, gop voters remain skeptical on elections, vote counts, most popular.

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ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

These people still believe in democracy (little d) and are working to keep it.

On this july 4th holiday, america's system of democracy is under threat. these people are working to keep it alive and well..

WASHINGTON ‒ For Joseph Atou, democracy is sharing with hundreds of visitors the history of America’s foundation.

For Gregg Amore, it’s teaching the younger generation the importance of civic engagement.

And for John Suttles and Tina Barton, democracy means ensuring elections work.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, democracy is government by the people. On the ground that can look different to different people, but for some, what they call democracy is at the heart of what they do and what they hope to protect.

“Democracy is that lever, that tool, that gift that allows us to move toward a more perfect union,’’ said Sam Daley-Harris, author of “Reclaiming Our Democracy. Every Citizen’s Guide to Transformational Advocacy.” “That assumes that it wasn't perfect in 1776 for sure. And here we are now, it ain't perfect now. Our lever, our tool, our mechanism, our gift is democracy.”

In some spaces, the word "democracy" has spurred intense debate among candidates, activists and scholars.

It has topped some polls as an important election issue. In January, 49% of Democrats and 29% of independents cited the future of democracy as the top issue facing America, according to an exclusive USA TODAY/Boston Globe/Suffolk University poll in New Hampshire. A Washington Post poll released last week found that the majority of voters of all political beliefs consider "threats to democracy in the U.S." important. And that's true of more than 70% of voters who say they strongly support either President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump .

Ahead of the nation’s July 4 celebrations, USA TODAY talked to a range of people dedicated to democracy, including a former election official, a veteran of the civil rights moment and a tour guide at the U.S. Capitol, about what democracy means to them and how they’re doing their part to move it forward.

As the stories of these citizens show, sustaining democracy takes work. And support for these efforts remains crucial, Daley-Harris said.

“It's the political will of the people that makes and sustains the political will of governments,’’ he said. “Make sure there's a next step that people can take to take the enthusiasm onward rather than have it fizzle."

Welcome to the United States

Joseph Atou

Joseph Atou, dressed in a bright red jacket, handed each of the 40 tourists a headset at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center .

“Over here,’’ he directed. "Move forward, please.’’

Atou is one of dozens of guides leading tours of the U.S. Capitol , offering visitors a chance to see and hear how democracy here works. During the peak from March through August, about 10,000 people a day visit the center.

Atou believes he’s helping educate Americans and foreigners about the nation, its checks and balances, its history and its evolution.

“A lot of the time people see the government as far away,’’ Atou explained between tours on a recent afternoon . “They don’t really understand a lot of how it really works.’’

But after the nearly hourlong tour, Atou is excited when visitors tell him, ‘‘Oh, I didn’t know that is how it is.’’

At the start of that day's tour, Atou asked foreign visitors where they were from. "France," "Austria," "Indonesia" and "South Korea," they yelled out.

“Welcome to the United States of America,’’ he responded.

Atou then guided them through the Capitol, pointing to paintings like the presentation of a draft of the Declaration of Independence, busts of icons like Martin Luther King Jr., and statues of presidents like Thomas Jefferson.

The group circled the Grand Rotunda at the heart of the Capitol, where Atou pointed way up to the dome and shared that dignitaries like Sen. John McCain had lain in state there. Visitors peppered Atou with questions. He rattled off answers.

Atou especially enjoyed explaining how each state selects statues to represent them in the National Statuary Hall, only steps from the Rotunda. He urged visitors, while on Capitol Hill, to reach out to their congressional representative.

“It’s a way for me to tell them to get involved,’’ Atou said.

At the end of the tour, visitors applauded.

Theresa Raffeiner from Austria said she appreciated the lesson and Atou’s humor. “It wasn’t so serious,’’ she said. “I don’t want to feel like I was on a field trip.’’

Atou, 50, an independent who lives in Rockville, Maryland, has been a tour guide for 11 years.

He was born in Cameroon in central Africa and later lived in France. He combined passions of his grandfather, an artist, and his father, a high school history teacher, to study art history in Paris. He later did research in Germany for his masters in art history.

Because of his background, Atou said, it’s easy to incorporate history with art during his tours.

He also uses his experiences in other countries to relate to foreign visitors. At stops on his tour, he explained in French to tourists why histories of the countries were connected. He also speaks German and Greek.

Atou said he learned a lot about American history while living in other countries.

“But you have to come here to actually understand that,’’ he said. “When they talk about slavery, for example, they will tell you that there were horrible things, but they will never tell you about Emmett Till. They will never tell you about Dred Scott . They will just portray that as evil. They were mean people. They enslaved people.”

“Working here really helped me to understand the position of African Americans.”

All those experiences help drive Atou’s passion for his work. He also helped design the Heroes of Civil Rights tour at the Capitol.

“It’s fun,’’ he said. “I try to teach, but the American system is a little bit complex.’’

Preserving fair and safe elections

Tina Barton

Tina Barton has traveled to more than 30 states in the past two years. In each place, she has met with local, county and state officials, those who conduct hazmat details, and people who work in Homeland Security or for the FBI.

It's all in the name of preserving fair and safe elections, which she considers a crucial part of the democratic process.

Barton helps municipalities create plans for Election Day.

She spent 32 years working in government across Oakland County, Michigan, half as an elections clerk.

This type of preparation is Barton’s passion. And after facing death threats, it has become personal.

“The goal is to have an operations plan in place with anybody who has some sort of stake in the voting process in case there is an event that could range from intimidation, de-escalation to threats to lives,” said Barton, vice chair of the nonprofit Committee for Safe and Secure Elections .

”We walk through several scenarios to try to make their communities safer,” added Barton, also a senior expert for The Elections Group . “The demand has been so great. They come away with their eyes more wide open. We want them to prepare their plans. To implement them. To test them.”

A married mother of two adult children, Barton said election workers have faced increased scrutiny since 2016, but it intensified in 2020. A Republican, Barton doesn’t believe doubting election workers is a partisan issue, either. “We’re living in pretty divisive times right now,” she said.

She cites a recent poll by the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, a liberal or progressive nonprofit law and public policy institute, that found nearly 40% of local election officials had been threatened, harassed or abused on the job. “That’s a 10% increase,” Barton said. “A huge number.”

The poll also showed that more than 90% of municipalities have increased their election security since 2020. “Another huge number,” Barton said.

Andrew Nickels, of Carmel, Indiana, has been convicted of threatening Barton’s life and her family. After the 2020 election, he left a menacing voicemail and accused her of fraud when Trump and then-Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel alleged voter irregularities in Oakland County, where Barton was in charge.

Barton denounced the accusations and state officials said McDaniel’s claims had no merit.

“It was hurtful, shocking, stunning, all the things I never expected,” Barton said. “You can either let it defeat you or define you. I clearly let it define me and I’m absolutely stronger. I’m using my experiences and skills to help others not go through what I did.”

Barton said she plans to give a victim impact statement when Nickels is sentenced next month.

“His threat did not cause me to back down. In fact, it made me stronger,” Barton said. “It makes election officials stronger. They work incredibly hard to make sure voters can have a free, safe and accurate election.”

On a bridge and at a crossroads

John Suttles

When John Suttles takes Highway 80 into Selma, Alabama, he’s struck by how much the city still looks like six decades ago when he and others marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge to demand voting rights for its Black citizens.

There’s still a gas station, a sign welcoming visitors and the bridge.

The 76-year-old veteran of the Civil Rights Movement makes the pilgrimage nearly each year in part to share with young people the importance of voting.

“You have to vote because that's the way democracy works,’’ he said. “If you don't vote, you don't have a democracy and that is where we at now at this crossroads in the United States.”

For Suttles, a working democracy means his efforts 60 years ago are paying off with more people of color registering to vote and casting ballots. To continue that effort, Suttles champions the importance of voting at events, including a Juneteenth panel in his hometown of Johns Creek, Georgia. Earlier this year, he joined a virtual panel hosted by the federal Election Assistance Commission.

“I am constantly looking for opportunities to talk about it with anybody that wants to listen,’’ said Suttles, a retired Minnesota transit worker. “There’s a lot of naysayers about the vote. But that just doesn't make sense to me.’’

Since he was a teenager, Suttles said, he has been working on “this thing called voting and democracy and human rights.’’

Suttles, who lived outside Selma, joined peaceful protesters crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in a march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1965. Like others, he was beaten by police on that "Bloody Sunday."

Suttles donated the bloodstained Army jacket he wore that day, loaned to him by his uncle, to a National Park Service interpretive center in Selma .

He and his wife, Kay, often join the annual bipartisan pilgrimage to Selma when civil rights veterans, U.S. presidents, members of Congress and others gather to commemorate the march. Georgia Rep. John Lewis, the late civil rights icon, used to lead the trip .

Suttles, a Democrat, appreciates the chance to talk to young people who often ask about his experience on ''Bloody Sunday.''

“They're always fascinated that a young person like myself back in them days would have enough to get up knowing that there's a 99% chance that you're going to get beat up and (yet) you go fight for somebody else's civil rights and voters' rights and human rights,’’ he said.

Suttles said he would have it no other way.

“I bought into it in the '60s,’’ he said. “It’s sort of like a religion. It’s part of me now. I have to be involved in some capacity that can make a difference.’’

Standing up for women

Poojitha Tanjore

In March, a group of female politicians, activists and other prominent community leaders came together at a local high school in Virginia to discuss the importance of women raising their voices and fighting for change.

Among the group was 22-year-old Indian American Pooja Tanjore, a master’s student at Columbia University in New York and a diplomatic fellow with USAID, which administers foreign aid and development assistance.

“I borrowed my mother's blazer. … I didn't feel like I knew all the etiquette to be in this space," she joked to an almost equally youthful audience of high schoolers, according to the Loudoun-Times Mirror. "I'm going to have to buy my own blazers.”

Tanjore, a Cincinnati native, told USA TODAY that women have “really always been at the core of what's important to me about democracy.”

Everyone has the right to speak and have a voice, she said.

“And I think women have historically been neglected in that space, and so it's very important that they have the right to speak and feel empowered.”

The fight for womens’ rights and representation is something Tanjore has been involved in since her teens ‒ starting at the grassroots level.

At age 16, she founded a Virginia chapter of the national nonprofit Rise to Run, aimed at encouraging high school and college women to run for office.

Working on former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, Tanjore said, helped her form a strong network to launch the chapter. The group helped bring together young women from different backgrounds and connect them with mentors.

Though the chapter is now defunct, she has continued serving in other ways, such as campaigning for female lawmakers and speaking at summits aimed at empowering women. Last year, she worked as a legislative fellow in Democratic Virginia Rep. Jennifer Wexton’s office.

“I grew up with people knocking doors (and) I worked on a bunch of political campaigns, and you just see all this energy of people who really care about local politics, like the causes in their local communities, because people know that change is made locally,” she said.

“So even just on that grassroots level, it's so inspiring, and it just continues to reinforce how important democracy is.”

Her great-grandmother, forced to marry as a child, was her biggest source of inspiration to get involved in this work, she said. The older woman, who died two years ago, had children while still a teenager herself and was widowed just a few years later.

“Seeing what that did to her really inspired me to work toward women's rights.”

Keeping democracy is everyone's job

Gregg Amore

It's tough to keep teenagers from their phones these days. Gregg Amore managed to keep a hotel ballroom-full laughing, raising their hands and nodding along this spring as he talked about the importance of maintaining American democracy.

Power, he reminded his audience of high schoolers at the Rhode Island Civic Leadership Summit, is something you want to hold onto once you have. He doesn't want to give up his own job as Rhode Island's secretary of state, he noted.

His 30 years of teaching high school students have helped him hone his message. Some of the students had even heard him give this talk before. But they didn't seem to mind. A few of the anecdotes were fresh and his questions kept them awake, several said.

A lifelong Rhode Islander with the accent to prove it, he doesn't talk down to the high schoolers, many of whom will be voting in their first election in November. He has nailed a tone that says "I respect your intelligence, but I also have information you'll want to know."

Amore, 57, a former hockey and baseball coach, mentioned the charge that the 2020 election was stolen. Instead of dismissing it out of hand, as many fellow Democrats do, he explained that in 2020, three Rhode Islanders voted in both Florida and Rhode Island. All three were caught and prosecuted.

"Is there voter fraud? Yes. Is there widespread fraud? No," he said, explaining the auditing process his state and others use to ensure that the vast majority of votes are counted accurately.

"We don't have a voter fraud problem in this country," Amore told the students. "We have a voter suppression problem in this country."

Ancestors of many of the people who have trouble accessing the polls today were prevented from voting by intimidation tactics or so-called literacy tests that asked impossible questions, like "How many bubbles does this bar of soap create?" he said, holding up a bar to emphasize the absurdity.

"If Americans don't pay attention, if we don't push back, you will see proposals for some sort of literacy test for future voters."

He closed his talk by citing Benjamin Franklin, who, at age 81, ran into a friend as he was walking out of the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

"What do we have?" she asked him about their newly established form of government. "A republic or a monarchy?"

"Madam, we have a republic ‒ if you keep it," Franklin supposedly replied.

"That's your job," Amore charged the young people listening to his vision of democracy. "To keep it."

OPINION article

Learning for democracy: some inspiration from john dewey's idea of democracy.

$\r\nYi-Huang Shih$

Center of Teacher Education, Minghsin University of Science and Technology, Hsinchu, Taiwan

1 Introduction

Citizens in a democracy must be educated because it is they who steer the ship of state ( Dar, 2021 ). Therefore, for a country to progress toward democracy, people need to be nurtured with democratic literacy through education. The ideas of John Dewey, a 20th Century American philosopher, are highly influential on our contemporary understanding of this relationship between education and democracy. He was born on October 20, 1859, in Burlington, Vermont, in the United States. After graduating from the University of Vermont in 1879, he taught in Vermont until 1881 and in high school in Pennsylvania until 1882. He received a doctorate from Johns Hopkins University in 1884. He died on June 1, 1952. Dewey is known for his views on the relationships between philosophy, education, democracy, the society, and the individual ( Özkan, 2020 ).

In Democracy and Education , Dewey criticizes dichotomies such as those between reason and experience, intelligence and physical strength, liberal education and practical training, the sciences and the humanities, and the spiritual and the material. He believed that history had affirmed the former at the expense of the latter of these dichotomies, and such an imbalance hinders social progress. Thus, Dewey adopted an empiricist foundation and argued that ideally, science and labor ought to carry both practical and humanistic value in a society. In the preface of Democracy and Education, Dewey explored and explained the various ideas constituting a democratic society and the application of these ideas to various issues in education ( Dewey, 1916 ; Tampio, 2024 ).

Dewey's writings continue to influence discussions on a variety of subjects, including democratic education , which was the focus of Dewey's famous 1916 book on the subject ( Dewey, 1916 ; Tampio, 2024 ).

Dewey believed that democracy means that every human being, independent of the quantity or range of his personal endowment, has the right to equal opportunity with every other person for development of whatever gifts he has. Dewey's vision of education is teachers nurturing each child's passions and not using tests to rank children. School curriculum develop talent in every student—nurture by nature. However, some schools are far from realizing that vision ( Dewey, 1916 ; Shih, 2024 ; Tampio, 2024 ). Therefore, this article explores John Dewey's idea of democracy and his conception of the role of learning in developing a democratic learning atmosphere, and emphasizes a democratic education allows students to participate in the problem–solving process, that continuous use of real social issues enhances democratic literacy for students ( Ye and Shih, 2021 ).

2 Research method

This study uses a critical hermeneutic approach to understand Dewey's idea of democracy, which is a key pillar of his thought. Many scholars have studied his earlier and well-known works, The School and Society and Democracy and Education ( Dewey, 1899/1976 ; Shih, 2018 ; Saito, 2020 ).

3 Dewey's idea of democracy and how it inspires learning for democracy

3.1 students are socialized into a democratic way of life through education.

In the preface of Democracy and Education , Dewey states that he aimed to provide “a critical estimate of the theories of knowing and moral development which were formulated in earlier societies, but still operate… to hamper the adequate realization of the idea of democracy.” He argues that the realization of democracy is closely related to epistemic and moral development, upon which the society and its educational system are based. Dewey implied that for education to be truly democratizing, the theories of knowledge and moral development underpinning education must be aligned with a democratic way of life ( Dewey, 1916 ; Lind, 2023 ). In addition, students must be socialized into a democratic way of life ( Shih, 2020 ).

3.2 Students gain opportunities and resources to realize their potential by participating in political, social, and cultural life

Dewey fiercely advocated for participatory democracy: the belief that democracy as an ethical ideal calls upon men and women to build communities in which every individual has the necessary opportunities and resources to realize his or her potential by participating in political, social, and cultural life. This also extends to students ( Dewey, 1916 ; Peters and Jandrić, 2017 ).

3.3 Teachers should respect diversity in their students' way of being

Dewey's vision of democracy challenges us to adapt our global communities and educational systems according to the needs of our historical moment for all citizens to benefit. Dewey called on the citizens of democratic societies to imagine new ways of association and interaction that foster respect for freedom, equality, and the diversity in our ways of being in the world. Similarly, teachers should respect diversity in their students' way of being for students to flourish as human beings ( Dewey, 1916 ; Gordon and English, 2016 ; Ye and Shih, 2021 ).

3.4 The ability of students to exercise their judgment is honed through democratic education

Dewey stressed that education must prepare students for an uncertain future. Indeed, we face such a future given the speed of economic and technological change today. Thus, students must develop effective habits, be adaptable, and learn how to learn. This contrasts with a traditional, industrial model of education where individuals are trained to fulfill a single occupational niche for the rest of their lives ( Dewey, 1916 ; Stobie, 2024 ).

Dewey expanded the concept of democracy to mean something abstract to something that encompasses the entirety of human life. Correspondingly, education became increasingly entwined in such a conception of democracy. As noted by Dewey, most people think of democracy as a political institution, made most visible by the act of voting. However, voters ought to make an informed choice, and they can only do so through keen judgment, which is cultivated through education ( Dewey, 1916 ; Ye and Shih, 2021 ).

4 Discussion

Maintaining democracy and freedom is key to the future of the post-totalitarian countries that emerged 30 years ago from their isolation from the West to reclaim the place where they had historically belonged ( Strouhal, 2020 ).

The dialectical relationship between democracy and education for democracy reflects the fluid natures of both democracy and education. Fluctuations within the internal dynamics of democratic institutions and relations between democracy and society can reflect progress, a deepening of democracy, or setbacks. As a result of such flux, the relationship of democracy to education evolves as does democracy itself, necessitating periodic reexamination so that efforts to align educational institutions with democratic goals remain relevant ( Reimers, 2023 ).

In addition, the sustainability of a country depends on the quality of the next generation, which plays a vital role in various aspects of life, ranging from education, culture, economy, politics, and religion. Education can build a new generation of a nation toward a better direction. All nations worldwide are trying to prepare the next generation of good and smart citizens. Carrying the spirit of democracy, all nations worldwide emphasize organizing a good governance government and focusing on the involvement of its citizens ( Fuad, 2023 ).

Dewey's “ Democracy and Education ” is commendably guided by the vision of a democratic society. He contrasts the democratic society with an undesirable society “which internally and externally sets up barriers to free intercourse and communication of experience”. By contrast, a democratic society “secures flexible readjustment of its institutions through interaction of the different forms of associated life” and “makes provision for participation in its good of all its members on equal terms”. Dewey proposed two metrics “to measure the worth of a form of social life” by: “the extent in which the interests of a group are shared by all its members, and the fullness and freedom with which it interacts with other groups” ( Dewey, 1916 ; Papastephanou, 2017 ).

Finally, Dewey defined education in Democracy and Education as “that reconstruction or reorganization of experience which adds to the meaning of experience, and which increases ability to direct the course of subsequent experience.” ( Dewey, 1916 ). Hence, education must be based on experience, developing and expanding the growth of experience from individuals' real-life experiences. Since each experience can have either a positive or negative impact on each person, the attitudes formed can lead to preferences or aversions, and the value of an experience can be inferred from the direction it drives. The transformation of experience has educational significance only when it develops positively. Therefore, teachers should promote education in a democratic manner, allowing students to gain experiences of democratic education. In this way, students are more likely to develop democratic literacy. And, our society is more likely to become a democratic society.

5 Conclusions

Autonomous citizens participating in a free society (i.e., a democracy) cannot be cultivated in a regimented, one-size-fits-all classroom. Students should thus be given enough space to continually experience life and establish their values. Dewey argued that education, both formal and informal, should be organized to promote individual and social growth. These ends are most likely to be achieved when learners work together and focus on crucial problems relevant to their lives ( Harbour, 2023 ).

Such education is the bedrock on which a democracy thrives, where democratic processes and practices extend beyond the political into the social and economic ( Harbour, 2023 ). Such education can also only function in a society where democratic ideals (that every young citizen ought to be socialized into becoming thinking participants of a free society) are cherished. Thus, education and democracy are parasitic on each other in Dewey's worldview ( van der Ploeg, 2019 ).

Through the decades, Dewey's focus increasingly shifted toward the importance of learning to think critically, including interrogating existing social structures and dynamics ( van der Ploeg, 2019 ). We glean the following points from Dewey's conception of democracy and education. (1) Education should socialize students into a democratic way of life. (2) Students should be given opportunities and resources to realize their potential by participating in political, social, and cultural life. (3) Teachers should respect the diversity in their students' ways of being. (4) Democratic education should hone the ability of students to exercise their judgment. (5) Education in a democracy should aim to “continuously reorganize and transform the experiences” of students. We hope that, through our article, educators and stakeholders can appreciate the centrality of democratic education in a democratic society.

Author contributions

Y-HS: Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Software, Supervision, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing.

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This study was funded by the Taiwan's Ministry of Science and Technology (Grant No. 104-2410-H-254-001-).

Conflict of interest

The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher's note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Keywords: democracy, education, educational philosophy, John Dewey, learning for democracy

Citation: Shih Y-H (2024) Learning for democracy: some inspiration from John Dewey's idea of democracy. Front. Polit. Sci. 6:1429685. doi: 10.3389/fpos.2024.1429685

Received: 08 May 2024; Accepted: 13 June 2024; Published: 27 June 2024.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2024 Shih. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Yi-Huang Shih, shih262@gmail.com

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

What's Project 2025? Unpacking the Pro-Trump Plan to Overhaul US Government

For several months, we received a flood of reader inquiries asking if project 2025 was a real effort to “reshape america.” here’s the answer., nur ibrahim, aleksandra wrona, published july 3, 2024.

Project 2025 is a conservative coalition's plan for a future Republican U.S. presidential administration. If voters elect the party's presumed nominee, Donald Trump, over Democrat Joe Biden in November 2024, the coalition hopes the new president will implement the plan immediately.
The sweeping effort centers on a roughly 1,000-page document that gives the executive branch more power, reverses Biden-era policies and specifies numerous department-level changes.
People across the political spectrum fear such actions are precursors to authoritarianism and have voiced concerns over the proposal's recommendations to reverse protections for LGBTQ+ people, limit abortion access, stop federal efforts to mitigate climate change — and more.
The Heritage Foundation — a conservative think tank operated by many of Trump's current and former political allies — is leading the initiative. President Kevin Roberts once said the project's main goals are "institutionalizing Trumpism" and getting rid of unelected bureaucrats who he believes wield too much political influence.
The Trump campaign's goals and proposals within Project 2025 overlap. However, the former president has attempted to distance himself from the initiative. In a July 5, 2024, post on Truth Social , he wrote: " I know nothing about Project 2025. I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they're saying and some of the things they're saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them."
In other words, it's unknown if, or to what extent, Trump's campaign is talking to leaders of the initiative. Many political analysts and the Biden administration believe Project 2025 is a good indication of Trump's vision for a second term.

Here at Snopes, the internet's premiere fact-checking site, we believe in unbiased, fact-driven reporting to help guide people's everyday lives. And when it comes to voting in elections, we hold that responsibility high. We call out candidates' mistruths, contextualize campaign claims and pull back the curtain on efforts shaping political parties' agendas. Our hope is to give voters the knowledge they need to mark ballots without any distorted sense of reality. Below is an example of that work — a months-long analysis of an all-encompassing effort to reshape the American bureacracy following the 2024 U.S. presidential election. If you'd like to support this type of journalism, we'd love your help . — Jessica Lee , senior assignments editor, snopes.com

As the U.S. 2024 presidential election nears, U.S. President Joe Biden's reelection campaign has been sending foreboding emails to supporters, invoking "Trump's Project 2025" to tap into anxieties over another four years with Donald Trump in the White House and to raise campaign money.

According to some of the emails, "Project 2025" calls for proposals that would separate "mothers away from their children," a reference to border policies during Trump's administration, or result in "higher housing costs and rampant discrimination."

The Biden campaign is not alone in its concern over the policy initiative. Critics including legal experts and former government employees have described Project 2025 as a precursor to authoritarianism — albeit a difficult one to implement — and a wave of social media posts are expressing fear over the initiative, calling it a " fascist " and " extremist " plan for Trump to " reshape America." Numerous reports have also called this conservative effort to reshape the government unprecedented in its scale.

But what exactly is Project 2025? Are the messages from critics rooted in fact or fear-mongering? What should people know about the alleged policy plan? Over the past year, Snopes has received a flood of inquiries from readers asking if Project 2025 was real and what it entails, and if American politicians plan to implement it.

Under the leadership of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, Project 2025 is indeed a real, all-encompassing initiative to transform the American bureaucracy if, or when, a conservative president takes over the White House. Project leaders are hoping to put it into motion as early as November 2024 if voters elect former President Donald Trump.

Politico once described the policy initiative as an effort to make a "MAGA" conservative government by reshaping how federal employees work, and the creators themselves have framed it as a push to institutionalize " Trumpism " — that is, Trump's political agenda — at every level of federal government. On Truth Social, a Trump-owned social media platform, users have described it as a return to "constitutional" values.

In June 2024, House Democrats launched a task force to make plans for a potential future in which Project 2025's recommendations could become reality.

The growing interest in Project 2025 coincided with the progression of Trump's presidential campaign. A June 2024 NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found the presidential race to be extremely tight, with Biden and Trump almost tied, echoing a months-long trend of national surveys. ( Historically , polls at this stage of campaigns are not indicative of actual election outcomes.)

Leaders and supporters of the initiative declined to be interviewed for this story or did not respond to Snopes' inquiries.

What is Project 2025?

Project 2025 has four parts, according to its website :

A roughly 1,000-page document titled " Mandate for Leadership 2025: The Conservative Promise ." That report details supporters' proposals for federal departments, as well as their overall agenda for a conservative government.
A purported transition plan for federal departments. Project 2025 leaders say they have a 180-day transition plan for each federal agency to quickly adapt to a Trump presidency should he win in November. As of this writing, the contents of that plan were unknown.
A new database that aims to fill federal jobs with conservative voices. Spencer Chretien, associate director of Project 2025, once called the online system to screen potential new hires the " conservative LinkedIn ." It's currently active on the Project's website.
A new system to train potential political appointees . Called the " Presidential Administration Academy ," the system aims to teach skills for "advancing conservative ideas" as soon as new hires join the administration. The lessons touch on everything from budget-making to media relations and currently consist of 30- to 90-minute online sessions. Project 2025 leaders say they will host in-person sessions as the election nears.

There's reportedly another facet to Project 2025 that's not detailed on its website: an effort to draft executive orders for the new president. According to a November 2023 report by The Washington Post that cites anonymous sources, Jeffrey Clark (a former Trump official who sought to use the Justice Department to help Trump's efforts to overturn 2020 election results) is leading that work, and the alleged draft executive orders involve the Insurrection Act — a law last updated in 1871 that allows the president to deploy the military for domestic law enforcement. Speaking to the Post, a Heritage spokesperson denied that accusation. (We were unable to independently corroborate The Washington Post's reporting due to its anonymous sourcing and our unsuccessful attempts to interview members of The Heritage Foundation.)

While many of Project 2025's proposals simply need the president's executive order to become reality, others would need Congressional approval, even as the Project seeks to expand presidential authority. In other words, lawmakers would need to write and approve legislation that details the changes to the government's existing structure, or establishes new systems. Come November, voters will choose who will fill 435 seats in the Republican-led House and 34 positions in the Senate.

Key Points of The Roughly 1,000-Page Document

Speaking to Politico , Russell Vought, who served as the director of the Office of Management and Budget under Trump and is now a leading adviser for Project 2025, once described the effort as "more systematic than it is just about Trump," adding, "We have to be thinking mechanically about how to take these institutions over" in reference to federal departments.

Project 2025's document lays out in great detail how supporters want to do that. As of early June 2024, about 855,000 people had downloaded the document, The New York Times reported .

Among its numerous recommendations, it calls for the following (in no particular order):

Changing how the FBI operates. According to the plan, the agency is "completely out of control," and the next conservative administration should restore its reputation by stopping investigations that are supposedly "unlawful or contrary to the national interest." Also, the document calls for legislation that would eliminate term limits for the FBI's director and require that person to answer to the president.
Eliminating the Department of Education. The plan explicitly proposes, "Federal education policy should be limited and, ultimately, the federal Department of Education should be eliminated." The report also calls for bans on so-called " critical race theory" (CRT) and "gender ideology" lessons in public schools, asking for legislation that would require educators who share such material to register as sex offenders and be imprisoned.
Defunding the Department of Justice. Additionally, the document proposes prosecuting federal election-related charges as criminal, not civil, cases. Otherwise, the document says, "[Voter] registration fraud and unlawful ballot correction will remain federal election offenses that are never appropriately investigated and prosecuted."
Reversing Biden-era policies attempting to reduce climate change. The document's authors call for increasing the country's reliance on fossil fuels and withdrawing from efforts to address the climate crisis — such as "offices, programs, and directives designed to advance the Paris Climate Agreement ."
Stopping cybersecurity efforts to combat mis- and disinformation. The document recommends the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to stop its efforts to curtail online propaganda campaigns, arguing the federal government should not make judgment calls on what's true and what isn't.
Changing immigration policies. Authors want the federal government to deprioritize DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), the program that temporarily delays the deportation of immigrants without documentation who came to the U.S. as children; phase out temporary work-visa programs that allow seasonal employers to hire foreign workers; impose financial punishments on so-called "sanctuary cities" that do not follow federal immigration laws, and divert tax dollars toward security at America's border with Mexico. (While the Biden campaign claims Project 2025 calls for "ripping mothers away from their children" at the border, there's no explicit mention of separating families. Rather, it calls for stronger enforcement of laws governing the detainment of immigrants with criminal records and restricting an existing program that tracks people in deportation proceedings instead of incarcerating them. In some cases, those changes could possibly play a role in border control agents detaining a parent while their child continues with immigration proceedings.)
Restricting access to abortion. The plan wants the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stop promoting abortion as health care. Additionally, Project 2025 recommends the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) to stop promoting, and approving, requests for manufacturing abortion pills. "Alternative options to abortion, especially adoption, should receive federal and state support," the document states.
Removing LGBTQ+ protections. The plan calls for abolishing the Gender Policy Council , a Biden-created department within the White House that aims to "advance equity in government policy for those who face discrimination." Also, the proposal wants the federal government to remove terms such as "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" from records and policies, as well as rescind policies that prohibit discrimination on the basis of "sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, and sex characteristics."
Cutting ties completely with China. For instance, the document advocates for restricting people's access to TikTok because of its China-based parent company; prohibiting Confucius Institutes, cultural institutions at colleges and universities funded by the Chinese government, and blocking other Chinese entities from partnering with U.S. companies.
Reversing protections against discrimination in housing. The Biden campaign emails reference a portion of the document that calls for repealing a decades-old policy—strengthened under Biden—that attempts to prevent discrimination and reduce racial disparities in housing. Project 2025 also recommends making it easier to sell off homes used for public housing — a benefit to real estate developers — but result in fewer cheap housing options for poor and low-income families.

Here's a PDF of the full report :

(www.project2025.org)

Changing Federal Job Classifications

To execute the above-listed objectives, the roughly 1,000-page document calls for a federal government operated by political appointees equipped to "carry out the President's desires."

Put another way, Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, said in a July 2023 interview with The New York Times that Project 2025 leaders want to dismantle independent federal agencies that do not answer to the president. Then, they want to fill positions with people who subscribe to conservative politics — including jobs that are currently merit-based hires, not politically appointed.

Under the current system, the federal government's administrative sector is made up of two employee groups: political appointees and career civil servants. When a new administration takes over the Oval Office, it selects similarly minded people to fill high-ranking positions (political appointees), and those people leave the jobs when a new president takes over. According to the Brookings Institution , a public policy think tank, around 4,000 political appointees run the executive branch.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of positions that run day-to-day operations are hired through a merit-based system — that is, a hiring process that is designed to prioritize applicants' specialized expertise or experience , not their personal beliefs or affiliations. Those people are career civil servants.

Project 2025 proposes turning up to 50,000 career civil servant jobs into politically appointed positions.

To do that, Project 2025 wants the president to reissue Schedule F, a Trump-era executive order that Biden rescinded when he became president. Generally speaking, the order would recategorize career civil servants into at-will employees, giving higher-level workers the ability to terminate employment for any reason without warning and fill those jobs with new people.

Additionally, Project 2025 recommends revamping the existing appeals process for employee dismissals, arguing the current system prevents managers from firing or hiring the right employees.

The plan also proposes a freeze on hiring top-career civil service positions at the beginning of the administration. By doing so, the plan argues, the new administration will prevent today's administration's leaders (later on "outgoing" political appointees) from "burrowing-in"— that is, hiring left-leaning career bureaucrats across federal agencies for the purpose of undermining the next president.

Keeping Track of Potential Employees' Opinions

In addition to expanding government leaders' abilities to hire and fire at will, Project 2025 calls for a new federal database to gather information on potential new hires. The database contains people's answers to questions on social issues , such as abortion and immigration, allowing for department leaders to easily fill job vacancies with applicants who lean conservative.

"Our current executive branch was conceived of by liberals for the purpose of promulgating liberal policies," John McEntee , who is leading Project 2025's personnel database project, told The New York Times in mid-2023, citing then-U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's (who was a Democrat) 1930s New Deal as the last major reorientation of the government. "There is no way to make the existing structure function in a conservative manner. It's not enough to get the personnel right. What's necessary is a complete system overhaul."

By submitting resumes and answering questionnaires , applicants sign up to be vetted by Project 2025 leaders. According to the questionnaire , participants answer whether they "agree" or "disagree" with statements such as, "Life has a right to legal protection from conception to natural death," and "The U.S. should increase legal immigration."

If the participants pass that screening, Project 2025 intends to recommend them to department leaders for hiring. (We are unable to determine what would happen with applicants' data if Trump does not win the 2024 election, or if his potential administration does not want to use it.)

Project 2025 leaders partnered with technology company Oracle to set up the system, according to The New York Times . Several thousand potential recruits had applied, as of April 2023.

Former presidents have established similar systems, including Barack Obama, according to Kevin Kosar, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a center-right public policy think tank. "They [The Obama administration] created a massive online jobs bank , where you could apply."

Also, during Obama's first term (January 2009 - January 2017), his administration required extensive vetting of applicants for high-ranking, politically appointed positions. Like Project 2025's program, that process included a questionnaire. That form asked participants to elaborate on past public statements, social media posts and potential conflicts of interests, as well as share things about their personal lives , like whether they own guns. (We found no evidence of the Obama administration circulating a similar questionnaire during his second term.)

Asked about that Obama-era questionnaire, a Biden aide said it was not comparable to Project 2025's system. The latter was a "loyalty test" to Trump, the aide said, while Obama's survey was more of a background check.

Trump Hasn't Publicly Endorsed Project 2025

Many former Trump administration members and current allies are working on the initiative.

For example, the Center for Renewing America (CRA) — a think tank that formed in 2021 with ties to Trump through its founder, Russell Vought — is a "coalition partner." Vought was the director of the Office of Management and Budget when Trump was president. Should Project 2025 be a part of the next presidential administration, Vought will be in charge of implementing its proposals, according to Politico. (In November 2023, The Washington Post reported he was in regular contact with Trump and could be a candidate for a high-ranking position in his potential future administration.) Also, Vought is policy director for the 2024 Republican National Convention's Platform Committee.

Reportedly , some people affiliated with Project 2025 are assisting Trump's reelection campaign behind the scenes.

(The groups that conceptualized, or are currently pushing, Project 2025 include a number of former Trump administration members and current allies.)

However, in terms of public-facing actions, Trump hasn't officially connected himself to the initiative. In speeches at campaign rallies and interviews, he hasn't mentioned Project 2025, and, on July 5, 2024 , he attempted to publicly distance himself by posting on Truth Social (his social media site):

I know nothing about Project 2025. I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they're saying and some of the things they're saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them.

Trump's campaign is at the very least aware of the initiative. Campaign officials once told Politico Project 2025's goals to restructure government, which are outlined in a publicly available document , indeed align with Trump's campaign promises.

But in a November 2023 statement, the Trump campaign said: "The efforts by various non-profit groups are certainly appreciated and can be enormously helpful. However, none of these groups or individuals speak for President Trump or his campaign." Without naming Project 2025, they said all policy statements from "external allies" are just "recommendations."

Concurrently, in an interview with the conservative outlet The Daily Wire , a Project 2025 representative said the Trump campaign and Project are separate "for now." McEntee , a former Trump staffer and leader of Project 2025's personnel database project, said :

I think the candidate and the campaign need to keep their eye on the ball. They need to be totally focused on winning. We're totally focused on what happens after [...] Obviously, there will need to be coordination and the president and his team will announce an official transition this summer, and we're gonna integrate a lot of our work with them.

That said, given overlap between Project 2025's proposals and the Trump campaign's agenda , political analysts and the Biden campaign believe the coalition's effort is a good indication of Trump's vision for a second term. Among the similarities are proposals to change how the administration fills tens of thousands of government jobs and overhaul the DOJ. According to The Heritage Foundation's own reporting, Trump adopted and seriously considered about two-thirds of the organization's policy prescriptions in 2018, for example.

In an interview with Snopes, James Singer, a Biden campaign spokesperson, said:

Project 2025 is the extreme policy and personnel playbook for Trump's second term that should scare the hell out of any American voter. The Trump team's pathetic denials fall flat when Project 2025 staff and leadership are saying they are connected to the Trump team, leading the RNC policy platform and part of Trump's debate prep, campaign, and inner circle.

But the extent to which Project 2025 leaders and Trump campaign officials are communicating is unclear. According to Kosar, at the American Enterprise Institute, no one outside of the two circles knows how closely they're working together. "[What] is the level of coordination? We have no idea."

From the view of Cecilia Esterline, an immigration research analyst at the Niskanen Center, a think tank with libertarian-right roots, Project 2025 is a good indicator of Trump's plans for a potential second term. "Given the people involved putting their names on this and the author portions of this report, and the success of [past] implementation, it's a good indicator of where Trump is at."

The Forces Behind Project 2025

Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts launched Project 2025 in April 2022, a few months before Trump officially announced his reelection campaign.

Since then, the number of groups backing the initiative has grown. As of now, Project 2025's advisory board and so-called "coalition partners" include: the Conservative Partnership Institute (CPI), a nonprofit that aims to connect conservative applicants to congressional jobs and is led by Trump's former chief of staff, Mark Meadows; Turning Point USA, a far-right student advocacy group that is led by Charlie Kirk; America First Legal , a legal advocacy group that supports conservative-backed lawsuits and is led by Trump stalwart Stephen Miller. (According to a June 2024 Politico report, Miller was part of private meetings with Trump to help him prepare for upcoming televised debates against Biden.)

Furthermore, in May 2024, Reuters interviewed what the news outlet described as unnamed Trump allies working on a plan to restructure the Department of Justice (DOJ) and fill currently nonpartisan jobs there with people who identify as conservatives. While the allies group wasn't named, Reuters reported it was tied to Project 2025.

Lastly, many authors of the roughly 1,000-page document outlining Project 2025's policy proposals have connections to Trump. They include Ben Carson , William Perry Pendley , Jonathan Berry , Diana Furchtgott-Roth , Rick Dearborn , Adam Candeub , Ken Cuccinelli , Mandy Gunasekara , Dennis Dean Kirk , Gene Hamilton , Christopher Miller , Bernard L. McNamee , Mora Namdar , Peter Navarro , Roger Severino , Paul Dans , Kevin Roberts , among others.

These Types of Pre-Election Efforts Aren't Uncommon

In the months or years before U.S. presidential elections, it's routine for nonprofit research groups to prepare plans for a potential presidential transition, according to Landon Storrs, a political history professor at the University of Iowa.

And, according to Kosar, numerous think tanks want Trump's ear as he plans his potential return to the White House. "Whenever there is a new executive coming into the White House, [many] groups are trying to get in there."

According to the Heritage Foundation's website , the organization mostly operates on individual donations and does not take money from the government. However, how exactly it divvies up its money for Project 2025 was unclear. The New York Times reported Project 2025 was a $22 million operation.

Project 2025 authors built their proposals on an idea popular during former President Ronald Reagan's time: the "unitary executive theory." That's the belief that Article II of the U.S. Constitution gives the president complete power over the federal bureaucracy and all levels of government report to him.

In 1980, the Heritage Foundation developed similar policy prescriptions for Reagan, who was a presidential candidate at the time. Some of the organization's recommendations aligned with Reagan's campaign promises , and, when he later assumed office, he put the ideas to action. Heritage once described its effort as putting "the conservative movement and Reagan on the same page."

However, according to Politico , the present-day initiative by the Heritage Foundation was more "ambitious" than any other such proposal. The New York Times said Project 2025 was operating at "a scale never attempted before in conservative politics." Its efforts are a contrast to the 1930s Democrat-led New Deal under then-U.S. President Roosevelt, which gave the federal government an unprecedented role in social and economic affairs on the belief that it would get the country out of the Great Depression.

Critics' Logistical Concerns, Worries

If some of Project 2025's ideas turn into formal policy recommendations or laws, experts in government and history have concerns over how they could be implemented. Such drastic changes would come with big logistical hurdles and have a ripple effect on agencies overseeing day-to-day governance, several such experts said.

For example, Project 2025's proposal to reclassify tens of thousands of federal workers' positions — that is, change career bureaucrats into jobs that can be politically appointed — would have widespread effects, according to Storrs, of the University of Iowa. She said:

When [Project 2025's] intention is to install officials based on their loyalty to the president rather than on their qualifications, [the result] is even more damaging to effective administration. [...] The President already has authority over who heads the agencies. But below them, people are simply trying to collect taxes, get social security checks out — there is a lot that shouldn't be disrupted.

Kosar, of the American Enterprise Institute, expressed concern over skills required for jobs that aren't currently appointed. "These positions have a serious degree of expertise attached. You can't just plug in a private sector businessman into the department of transportation. It's going to be a challenge to match the people and the competencies and the expertise."

Esterline, the Niskanen Center analyst, said with presidential administrations changing every four to eight years, government agencies rely on the expertise of continually employed civil servants — employees with institutional knowledge — to make the transitions as smooth as possible. "[If] we suddenly disrupt that balance of political appointees to civil servants, it will be a much rougher transition."

Among other aspects of Project 2025, Esterline is attempting to raise the alarm on its prescriptions for specific regulatory changes. "[Project 2025] is a meticulous outline of how they will crumple the system simultaneously through minute changes."

Meanwhile, some former government officials are particularly concerned about the initiative's plans for the DOJ and FBI. For instance, in an interview for The Guardian , Michael Bromwich, a former DOJ inspector general, said the proposals to turn the departments into "instruments" to fulfill Trump's political agenda "should send shivers down the spine of anyone who cares about the rule of law."

Overall, critics including legal experts and former government employees have zeroed in on Project 2025's goal to give the executive branch more power, describing it as a precursor to authoritarianism.

However, the initiative's push to increase executive power may be part of a deeper trend in American politics, Peter Strauss, a professor at Columbia Law School, said in a lecture on Faculti, a research video platform. He said momentum to increase executive authority has been steadily increasing over many presidential administrations:

We have seen in the United States a steadily expanding presidential claim of authority to control not only tenure but also ordinary acts of government. This has been happening at least since the presidency of Ronald Reagan and it reached a peak with President Trump and his first term, and he's promised that he's going back there.

Our Reporting

For this report, we repeatedly tried to interview representatives of the Heritage Foundation — the conservative think tank that conceptualized Project 2025 — as well as the Trump campaign and other supporters of the effort. All either declined to be interviewed or did not respond to our inquiries.

For example, we reached out to dozens of groups on Project 2025's advisory board — a collection of groups under the Heritage Foundation's oversight that have co-signed the effort, given feedback on its proposals or promoted it to government officials. The groups include Center for Renewing America , Turning Point USA , The American Conservative , and American Cornerstone Institute . We asked the organizations about the nature of their involvement in the initiative, proposals they support, and more. As of this writing, none has responded.

After we initially reached out to the Heritage Foundation for this story, a spokesperson responded asking for more specifics on our reporting. We responded with key points, including requests to comment on project leaders' communication with former U.S. President Donald Trump, concerns from legal experts about the initiative's proposed changes and general criticism. The Heritage Foundation did not respond to that message. Later, after informing the organization of our writing deadline, a spokesperson said no one was available.

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July 5, 2024: This post was updated to include Trump's July 5, 2024, post on Truth Social.

By Nur Ibrahim

Nur Nasreen Ibrahim is a reporter with experience working in television, international news coverage, fact checking, and creative writing.

By Aleksandra Wrona

Aleksandra Wrona is a reporting fellow for Snopes, based in the Warsaw area.

Article Tags

Open government and citizen participation

The case for action to strengthen our democracies is clear: lower voter turnout in many countries, diminishing trust, greater political polarisation, and larger groups disassociating themselves from traditional democratic processes are testing our institutions and hindering governments’ ability to effect positive change for citizens. Our work on open government looks at how governments ensure the inclusion, quality and impact of participatory processes to enable all citizens and stakeholders to influence government activities and decision making and actively participate in the public life.

The Protection and Promotion of Civic Space
Innovative Citizen Participation

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Key messages, a bold transition towards open government can help enhance the democratic model of governance..

Open government policies and practices are widely recognised as important avenues to reinforcing democracy and strengthening trust in public institutions. OECD Trust Survey data confirms that open government is a key driver of citizens’ confidence in their government. People who have a feel that they have a say in what the government does report higher trust in government. This highlights that governments must do better in both giving and responding to the voice of people to meet evolving expectations.

Transparency and access to information are fundamental for an informed and engaged public..

Transparency and access to information are core principles of open government. Globally recognised as a catalyst for good governance, transparency is a lever for representation and strengthening citizens’ trust in public institutions. Access to information (ATI) is recognised as a fundamental human right that enables citizens and stakeholders to be informed of and exercise their other rights. This right is operationalised through ATI laws, which have witnessed a remarkable 75% increase in adoption over the past two decades. However, more efforts are needed on the implementation side to fully reap its benefits, alongside ongoing monitoring and evaluation to adapt to both longstanding and emerging challenges. For instance, there is currently a growing need for governments to find a balance between access to information and the right to privacy and personal data protection, with neither being compromised or restricted, and to review institutional arrangements to identify synergies and ensure a coordinated approach. Our work on transparency and access to information supports governments in reinforcing democracy, ensure inclusive societies and strengthening trust in institutions.

Civic freedoms and rights must be protected for people to fully participate in public life.

Civic space is a cornerstone of functioning democracies. It encompasses the essential conditions that enable or hinder non-governmental actors to engage in public life, including to access information, express themselves, associate and organise. Maintaining a healthy civic space, both on- and offline, is a prerequisite for good governance and democracy. Countries that foster civic space at both the national and local levels are better placed to reap the many benefits of enhanced citizen engagement, strengthened transparency and accountability, and empowered citizens and civil society.

People must have a say in making the decision that matter to them.

Few people see opportunities to participate in policymaking. In a 2021 survey of OECD countries, only 38% of citizens expect that their government would improve a poorly performing service or implement an innovative idea, and only 30% of people feel they can have a voice in what the government does. It is imperative for governments to enhance citizen voices in policymaking as a vehicle for promoting democratic values, ensuring the representation of diverse perspectives, fostering transparency and enhancing legitimacy of decisions. Governments must build on their democratic strengths to enhance policies that make citizen and stakeholder participation an integral part of policy design, implementation and monitoring at all levels of government.   

Perceptions of opportunities to influence local decisions, 2021

Promoting citizens’ active participation in policymaking and transparent decision making is often more effective at the local level. According to the OECD Trust Survey about 41% of people in OECD countries believe that they could have a say in community decisions that affect their local area.

Perceptions of responsiveness to public complaints, 2021

In addition to being able to voice concerns, people need to feel these concerns will be heard and addressed, especially when they have a direct effect on their lives, such as in the provision and quality of public services. On average, in OECD countries, only 40.2% of people find it likely that a public service would be improved if many people complained about it.

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Mis- and disinformation The spread of false and misleading information poses significant risks to the well-being of people and society, as it casts doubt on factual evidence and blurs public debates. While such content is not necessarily illegal, it can contribute to polarisation, jeopardise the implementation of policies, and undermine trust in democratic institutions and processes. Action is required to strengthen the integrity of information spaces to protect freedom of expression and democratic engagement. Learn more
Access to justice Rule of Law and access to justice play crucial role in restoring trust, ensuring respect of democratic values and supporting an inclusive recovery. Citizens expect equal access to justice, in line with the Riga Justice Agenda, which focused on developing an integrated and interdisciplinary justice response to present and future global crises. The key role of access to justice is recognised to enable democracies to deliver on people’s expectations, as improving access to justice is a key part of accessible government, in line with the SDG Agenda to leave no one behind. Learn more

He never saw himself as disadvantaged. Then the government had him write an essay.

It had never occurred to Curtis Joachim to blame racism for his professional setbacks until an SBA application forced him to think differently about his life.

Curtis Joachim sat at his computer, searching for the words to prove his disadvantage.

It was summer 2023, and a federal judge had just ruled that a government program for minority contractors could no longer automatically accept participants like Joachim. For the first time in the program’s 45-year history, simply being Black was not enough to qualify as “socially disadvantaged” — a key requirement to receive set-asides for lucrative government contracts. Now Joachim, an accountant, had to document his struggles.

He had to write an essay.

So Joachim began examining his life through the prism of disadvantage. It was new terrain for the 56-year-old Marine Corps veteran and longtime entrepreneur, a man who had instinctively equated success with merit.

As he sat down to write, he thought about his many setbacks: the missed promotions, the bankruptcies, the second jobs he took to make ends meet. No matter how hard he had worked, he now realized, there had always been some resistance, almost like an “invisible force” holding him back.

And then it struck him: “It could have been different if I was not a Black man.”

Joachim was writing the essay because of a decision several weeks earlier by a federal judge in Tennessee. A White woman had challenged the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development program , one of the government’s defining affirmative action programs, which certifies businesses as “disadvantaged” so they can pursue federal contracts set aside for minority-owned businesses. Last year, more than a dozen agencies disbursed $24.4 billion through the 8(a) pipeline.

Joachim said the program changed the course of his life, allowing him to win more than $32 million in accounting and auditing contracts over the past decade from the departments of Housing and Urban Development, and Transportation, among others. The experience gave him the foundation to pursue other government work and increase his staff to 15.

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But now, the judge said, the program could no longer admit applicants based solely on their racial identity. Instead, every applicant would have to offer a narrative of disadvantage, one that demonstrated how their identity set them back.

Since last June, when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down race-based college admissions at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, the nation’s most selective universities have been forced to undergo a similar transformation. Applicants can no longer expect special consideration on the basis of their race, though they can use their personal essays to discuss how race has shaped their experiences .

The Harvard-UNC decision touched off a broader shift in the way institutions approach diversity . In the corporate world and government contracting, as well as higher education, explicit preferences for people of certain races or ethnicities are giving way to processes that focus on the totality of an applicant’s character, said David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at New York University.

Glasgow said he expects to “see more of that kind of individualized essay-based assessment, in part because the Supreme Court has foreclosed the more direct demographic approaches.”

For the 4,800 businesses that participate in the 8(a) program, the court ruling last July touched off a frenzy. The SBA trained additional staff to review the essays that were now pouring in from participants. Lawyers hired by applicants to help complete their narratives said the process sowed confusion — and dredged up past trauma.

Nicole Pottroff, a partner at the law firm Koprince McCall Pottroff, said many applicants drew upon such severe experiences as “sexual harassment, blatant racism — things that were very hurtful to the individual telling the story.”

“Most of this is painful,” Pottroff said. “They’re hoping to repress a lot of these memories.”

In his essay, Joachim needed to describe two episodes when he experienced discrimination to establish what the SBA called “chronic and substantial social disadvantage.” Pottroff worked with Joachim to identify the incidents, which could have taken place during his education, his employment or in his business history.

He chose to write about his time in the military.

Joachim wrote that he had been a “Poster Marine” who spit shined his boots every night, kept his hair “high and tight,” and earned his sergeant’s stripes in just under three years — it typically takes four to five — while attending college at night and competing as a power weightlifter. He had been named Marine of the Month, then Service Member of the Year, the essay said.

None of it was enough to qualify him for the officers training program, which would have provided him with a college education and propelled him into the commissioned officer ranks. Instead, he wrote, a White Marine had been selected.

“It was my lifelong dream to be a Marine Officer,” he wrote, “but that dream was crushed because of the color of my skin.”

For his second incident, Joachim wrote about how, about a decade later after discharge, he repeatedly had been passed over for promotions while working as a civilian with the U.S. Army Audit Agency in Germany. White peers moved to bigger roles, he wrote, even though he was sure he performed better.

“Given my success and incredibly (nearly excessive) hard work — race again was the only ‘advantage’ they all had over me at that time,” he wrote. “And apparently that was a significant enough ‘advantage’ to promote them three years before me.”

Joachim had not always seen things this way. It had not occurred to him to blame racism when he was rejected for the officers training program or missed out on promotions.

“I never saw myself as disadvantaged,” he said. “To me, it was America. You roll your sleeves up and you work hard, and you get there.”

But writing the essay forced him to examine his life through a different lens. He found the idea that his skin color may have contributed to his many setbacks upsetting. It upended his belief that success was just a matter of hard work and perseverance.

The anecdotes in his essay, he wrote, “are just the tip of the iceberg as to the racism and social disadvantage I have faced in this country from the early days of my youth, through my education and career, and through my business history.”

A hard charger

Joachim was 15 when he first landed in the United States in 1984, traveling from Dominica with five siblings to reunite with their father in Brooklyn. Any fears he had about his new country were quickly overtaken by excitement and the sense of limitless possibility it could bring. Because he wasn’t yet a U.S. citizen and college was out of reach, Joachim enlisted in the Marine Corps.

Friends who served with Joachim at Camp Lejeune, N.C., described him as a “hard charger” and a “Marine’s Marine.”

“He was always number one,” said Wayne Jackson, one of Joachim’s roommates. “He was the rabbit that everybody chased.”

Jackson, who is Black, said racism was a “reality” in the Marines when he served, though he believes the branch has since made progress. Another roommate, Jimmy Tran, agreed, noting that his peers often ribbed him about his Vietnamese heritage.

Still, both said making the leap from enlisted man to officer would have been difficult for anyone, no matter how talented. And Joachim faced an especially big hurdle, they said, because he did not have a college degree at the time.

By 1995, having received his U.S. citizenship in the military, Joachim decided to return to civilian life. He sold perfume, first in Virginia Beach and then in Mobile, Ala., for a multilevel marketing company but went bankrupt after his operation collapsed. He worked at a fast-food chain while also loading trucks at a Coca-Cola warehouse.

In all of his endeavors, Joachim was intent on becoming “financially free” and going into business for himself, said his ex-wife, April Joachim.

He got a step closer to that goal in 1998, when he earned a business administration degree from the University of Dubuque in Iowa and went straight to work for the Army Audit Agency in Germany. Though he eventually was made a supervisor and led teams that audited the efficiency of military supply routes during conflicts in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, his career plateaued.

In 2004, his work with the audit agency took him to Fort Monroe, Va., where he began selling homes on the side. Taking his cues from Robert Kiyosaki, the real estate guru known for his get-rich-quick seminars , Joachim decided it was time to work for himself. He resigned from the Army Audit Agency and started his own accounting firm, as well as a mortgage company.

Then in 2008, the housing market crashed, ushering in the Great Recession. With his business underwater, Joachim filed for bankruptcy. He managed to find some accounting work for struggling small businesses, while also stocking shelves overnight at Walmart.

As the economy began to recover, Joachim found work for a contractor serving the U.S. Coast Guard, which eventually awarded him a subcontract. It was the break he needed, the launchpad to qualify for the 8(a) program, which “put me in a position to compete” by giving him access to the initial contracts he would need to build credibility with government agencies and fellow contractors, he said.

Suddenly contracts were easier to come by. His accounting firm, the Joachim Group, flourished. He settled on 10 acres in Southern Virginia and sent his son and daughter to college.

In his essay, Joachim reflected on that turnaround.

“The 8(a) Program is one of the only things in my life that has even remotely worked to begin to level the playing field for me as a man in a historically white man’s business world,” he wrote.

Affirmative action programs like 8(a) were designed to recognize past discrimination and “try to make up for that in some ways — without sticking it in your face,” he said. But the process of writing the essay — of having to relive those painful experiences — “forces you to focus on that and think of yourself as a second-class citizen.”

Five days after submitting his essay last August, the SBA accepted it, allowing Joachim to remain in the program for a 10th and final year.

Last month, he “graduated” from 8(a). From now on, the government will no longer classify him as “disadvantaged.”

Now, it’s “sink or swim,” he said. “And, by golly, we’re going to swim.”

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