Forms of democracy and their description

Democracy is a political regime in which decisions are made in a collective way. For centuries, different forms of democracy arose, depending on the needs and characteristics of the society in which it developed. In this article we will look at its types and specific features.

What is democracy?

The people gained power in ancient Greece, and, unlike the modern democracy, its characteristic feature at the time was that women, as well as slaves, had no right to participate in political issues.

The modern forms of this regime differ somewhat from the ancient ones by a number of features:

1. The people are the only source of power (legitimate).

2. Managers are appointed through controversial elections, in which all citizens of the country who have the right to vote (including women) participate.

3. The society is self-governing for the sake of the common good and satisfaction of interests.

Historical forms of democracy

Over time, there were two main democratic regimes: direct and representative. These forms of democracy have one significant difference: in the first case, the political decision of the minority was subject to the decision of the majority, and in the second, this function (decision) is carried out by people's representatives. However, this is by no means all kinds of a democratic regime, there are also:

1. The oligarchic. Here the last political word is behind the big owners.

2. Egalitarian. When special attention is paid to the concept of a nation, decisions are made depending on how much it will be useful for persons of a certain nationality who have the right to vote. National minorities are rendered powerless under this regime.

3. Socialist. This form presupposes the abolition of class society and the exercise of power by the decision of the common people, which brings it closer to egalitarian democracy.

4. The liberal. This form is quite common these days and is characterized by a number of signs: first, it presupposes the most of the others to find a consensus between the parties; secondly, the value of open information relating to elections is shown here; and thirdly, there are guarantees of civil, political And social human rights.

5. Imitated. This form of democracy is also quite common today. It is characterized by a number of external attributes of the people's power, but, in fact, it is not being implemented properly.

Forms of direct democracy

Under this regime, citizens themselves make political decisions and fulfill them. This is the so-called autocracy, which Seneca highly valued and called it the supreme power. Classical examples of this form of democracy: Nizhny Novgorod in the 12-14 century. And Ancient Greece in the 5th and 4th centuries. BC.

With this form, citizens are responsible for making and implementing their decisions. Advantages and disadvantages of it are, mainly, in organizational aspects: on the one hand, decisions are made quickly and are executed as quickly as it is done by small groups of people. On the other hand, in large areas, the introduction and implementation of direct democracy is difficult.

Among the historical forms of direct democracy, the People's Veche was singled out, which was spread in the territory of the Slavic states. Also on this list is the Apella - a meeting held every month by the Spartans, who reached the age of 30. The Venetian and Florentine republics also distinguished themselves by the organization of public assemblies, which were held several times a year, where the most important political and economic issues were decided.

Today, there are countries in which there are only some elements of direct democracy: Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and California (USA).