Democracy? What is it? What helps keep it equal?

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A democracy is a system of government run by the people, for the people. Having the general publics’ voices heard is a major part in a democratic government, but it isn’t the only part. To make a democratic government work you need to have a sense of community and unity. Many different countries strive to keep their countries democratic. There are three primary roles to a democratic government. The primary roles of a democratic government are to involve the public in policies as much as possible, to allow for broad representation and as a check against corruption of power.
One major role in a democratic government is to involve the public in policies as much as possible. This is shown especially well in California. In California the people themselves can make laws if they have enough people to petition it (Worldbook). If a person or a group of people decide that they want to make an amendment they have to get people to sign a petition. If the group has enough signatures, they can send it to the head of the state and try to turn it into a law. When the new amendment comes in, it has to be approved by the majority of voters (Worldbook). Since Californian people know that they can make a change, it causes them to want to be more involved in making policies. Because of this key part of a democracy, California has been known as a place where your voice can be heard. This way of doing it allows not only for the general public to get involved but it also allows for broad representation.
Broad representation is a key part in keeping a democratic government democratic. Athens is a good example of this. In Ancient Greece around 500 B.C democracy began to develop. The Athenian government was democratic and that form of government worked ver...

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...cluded every man in decisions. Athens because of their broad representation thrived for many years. The U.S has a great check against corruption. Their checks and balances work very well for them and it’s a major part of their government. All of these parts help keep a democratic government democratic.

Works Cited

"The White House - President Barack Obama." The White House. The White House, 2013. Web. 24 Oct. 2013.

"World Book Online." World Book. World Book, 2013. Web. 24 Oct. 2013.

Baxevanis, John J. "Athens." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2013. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

Bowen, William A., and Clark Davis. "California." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2013. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

Krentz, Peter. "Sparta." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2013. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

Janda, Kenneth. "Checks and balances." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2013. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.

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