The 5 Defining Features of a Modern Democracy
This article explores the most important aspects of modern democracy and how they help states to thrive.
Modern democracy is often recognised and defined by Abraham Lincoln’s quote from his Gettysburg Address: “[Democracy is a] government of the people, by the people, for the people”. This simple and succinct perspective is based upon the ancient Greek word, dēmokratía, meaning rule by the people. However, for democracy to work efficiently and effectively, more complex features must be considered. In my opinion there are five defining features of a modern democracy: representation; free and fair elections; a multi-party system; separation of power; rule of law and protection of human rights.
Representation
Two concepts that define democracy, and distinguish it from other styles of government, are representative and direct democracy. Representative democracy is the most prominent form of democracy in modern society. It allows the people to rule indirectly at the national level through locally elected representatives. Importantly, it gives the people power over parochial matters within their local districts. Ensuring local interests, is a central aspect of representative democracy. This system also recognises that not everyone can be fully involved in politics. Placing authority, responsibility and accountability in the hands of one well-informed local representative means that the political views of local constituents can be heard on the national stage.
The opposite of representative democracy is direct democracy. There is no elected representative, instead the public vote and participate in assemblies themselves. Because this form of democracy relies upon on a well-informed and politically engaged population, it is rarely seen today. It was more popular in Ancient Greece. Nevertheless, a few states have adopted it, such as Switzerland, where referendums and votes are used regularly in order to amend or pass new legislation. Both forms of democracy have important defining features that allow citizens to empower the elected body and hold them to account for their actions. These aspects define modern democracy and separate it from other governing styles, such as authoritarian regimes, where the people have no power or control over the government’s policies and actions.
Free and Fair Elections
Free and fair elections are key to a modern democracy. They ensure a government is chosen that reflects the will and choice of the voting population. Elections are a crucial aspect of democracy as they legitimise the government in power, giving it the authority to make decisions on behalf of the nation. Moreover, if elections are held frequently, this can help hold government to account for its policies and actions, as public opinion alters. If a government fails to represent their voters’ desires, then it faces the threat of being voted out in the next election. Furthermore, if a bad government has been put in place, frequent elections provide the public with an opportunity to change the government. By having frequent, free and fair elections, politicians and governments can be kept in check. However, it is worth noting there is a risk associated with such a system. Regular elections can lead to short term policy-making, designed to appease the public on partisan issues to achieve election success, rather than focussing on the long-term benefit of the nation. Elections are such an important defining feature of democracy as they provide the means by which the public can be heard and represented. In other governing styles, the people are given no say in what the state decides and therefore elections are essential in demonstrating the freedom and fairness of the democratic state.
Multi-Party System
A multi-party system helps to provide checks and balances within a government. Opposition parties can challenge the ruling party and monitor its activity through debates, whilst offering their own parties’ opinions and suggestions. This ensures the ruling party will make law and or policy that the voters of unelected parties may tend to agree with. When it comes to elections, the opposing parties are contesting for power, which gives the public choice, enabling voters to choose a party that may be more in line with their own views and beliefs. Having a multi-party system is essential to democracy as without it, in a single-party system, a dictatorship can easily arise. A good example of this would be a communist state, where it is believed “that the Communist Party alone represents the interests of the working class”. This single-party system is still present in modern states such as North Korea and China. Whilst they may label themselves as democratic, this system is not fair or free democracy; it is a form of dictatorship. A multi-party system is a fundamental and necessary feature of modern democracy to ensure fairness and whole population representation.
Separation of Powers
A modern democracy must have separation of powers. The legislative and executive, must be separate from the judiciary. This feature of democracy provides a system of checks and balances to prevent the misuse of power. Executive authority can be divided into two systems, parliamentary and presidential. The judiciary must be independent in either system to maintain justice, honesty and impartially. The benefits of the parliamentary system are that it can be more flexible and can represent minority political groups. The presidential system is strong and has direct accountability due to the government being separated into different institutions that can check and balance the other.
A good example of the presidential system is the United States of America where the government is split into the executive, legislative and a completely separate judiciary system. Without separation of power, there is danger that government can take control and veer towards monarchy or dictatorship. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia provides a good example of the former; the King is in control of both the executive and the legislative branch whilst also exercising limited control over the judiciary through his council of ministers. Separation of powers is a vital feature of a modern democracy. It prevents the misuse of power and guards against dictatorship.
Rule of Law & Protection of Human Rights
Linked to separation of powers is the protection of, and adherence to the rule of law. This must be upheld by the judiciary and independent courts. No one is above the law and all members of government are subject to it. This virtue creates a safe, fair and honest democracy. Without it, the legal and judicial system would be open to abuse, which could lead to a tyrannical dictatorship. Human rights tie into this, as citizens must be allowed to enjoy freedom and equal rights under the rule of law.
This is an essential aspect of democracy; it ensures equality, and the protection of minorities’ rights to participate in politics. To repress human rights is in violation of the United Nation’s declaration of human rights which is illegal in international law. Free speech and the freedom of independent media from political control are linked with rights and freedoms. If the government controls speech and the media, then they control the population to a certain degree. Hence, human rights, freedom of speech and the rule of law are all vital components of a modern democracy.
To Conclude…
There are many factors that define a modern democracy, however the ones highlighted in this article — representation; free and fair elections; a multi-party system; separation of power; rule of law and protection of human rights — are the most important as they have the greatest impact on both the citizens of the state and the way in which the state is run. Without these fundamentals in place, it would be very easy for a state to tumble into dictatorship and suppress its population, bending its will to the desires of the elite few in power. A democracy, built with these fundamentals in mind, will almost certainly provide a state and its people with the system and framework of government that will enable it to thrive and evolve in the modern world.
