Democracy Essay

A true democracy is nearly impossible to attain since the ancient Athenians. However, many countries have tried very hard to get democratic governmental systems up and running. Operating a democratic government requires many different aspects of the nation to run efficiently. One of the many ingredients to a well-run democracy is a politically active and participant citizen population. Without a high count of political participation and a complete use of free speech and freedom of the press, no country can be deemed democratic. This essay will assess the level of democracy in powerful nations like Russia, the U.K, and Pakistan, and argue why democracy is influenced greatest by both an active and a politically participant citizen population and a right to free speech.

The best definition of democracy is defined in history. In 505 B.C.E., the people of Athens decided that everything that needed deciding on would be voted on by every land-owning male citizen in the city. This is the definition of an absolute democracy where everyone votes on decisions that affect the entirety of the society. Since every person voted on every matter at hand, everyone began to think about what was best for their own situation. This led to an increase in political activism and interest in decisions affecting the entire region of Athens. The reason the ancient civilization of Athens is regarded as one of the intellectual hubs of the ancient world was in part due to this successful form of government.

In modern times, it is very hard to attain a governmental system where every citizen votes on every political matter. Populations are just too big for that. Instead, countries have their own way in which they believe is the best option in governing their p...

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...ly in demonstrations as well as marching and voting (Mushtaq). This high level of participation combined with the illegitimate limitations on freedom of speech and press results in an overall low score on the democracy scale with a high potential in becoming a democratic country.

When explaining democracy, one must look at the cultural norms of the population of a nation. In observing the political interests in different cultures and explaining what influences the active political role, one can also understand the most indicative beacons of a strong democracy. Empirical evidence from the research of Ifra Mushtaq (and associates) as well as cultural observations prove that the best indicators of a strong democracy are political participation in society and the freedom to speak and print a variety of opinions critical of government leaders without fear of oppression.