What is Democracy?

What is Democracy?

Democracy, in its simplest form, is a governmental system, for the people by the people. This definition is very broad, but democracy in every form must adhere to the same requirements. They are as follows: 1. free speech: for all citizens, 2. choice: between candidates, 3. periodic elections, and 4. peaceful transition of power: meaning no violence when changing political parties or leaders. Democracy, even with its specific requirements and rules is not an exact science, so it can be interpreted in different ways. Two well known theories on democracy are, Peter Bachrach’s “Classical Democracy” theory and Joseph Schumpeters “Democratic Elitism.” While both Bachrach and Schumpeter theorize on democracy, they each have their own views on its actual practice.
Bachrach’s “Classical Democracy” is a very traditional view of democracy. In this theory there are two groups of citizens: the “elites”, which are the elected leaders with power and prestig...