Values ​​of democracy. Principles and Signs of Democracy

The concept of "democracy", literally meaning "power of the people", arose even in antiquity. Today it is the most widespread political regime in the world. However, there is still no clear definition of democracy. Various experts emphasize the individual components of this concept: the rule of the majority, the rights and freedoms of man and citizen, equality, etc. What are the principles and values ​​of democracy? What does this word mean? Let's try to understand this article.

Concept of democracy

As already noted, historians do not have a single opinion on this subject. The meaning of the word "democracy" must be viewed from several sides:

1. In the broadest sense, this term means a system of social structure, which is based on the principle of voluntariness of all spheres of human activity.

2. In a narrower sense, this concept is a political regime of states in which all citizens have equal rights, in contrast to the same authoritarianism or totalitarianism.

3. The essence of democracy can also be defined in the creation of an ideal social model, which will be based on the principle of equality.

4. This concept can also mean the social movement called for by the programs of political parties.

Democracy, its basic values ​​and characteristics form the basis of the modern state, and therefore it is necessary to understand the meaning of this word.

Signs of democracy

Each state, regardless of the form of government and political regime, has certain signs. The fundamentals of democracy are as follows:

• The people should act as the only source of power in the state. It is expressed in the fact that every citizen of the country has the right to participate in the elections of representative bodies, organize referenda, or in any other way exercise the right to power.

• Ensuring human and civil rights. The values ​​of democracy lie in the fact that people's rights are not simply proclaimed, but are realized in practice.

• Any decisions are made by the majority, and the minority must obey them.

• The methods of persuasion, compromise, and the complete rejection of violence, aggression, and coercion come to the fore.

• Democracy involves the implementation of the laws of the rule of law.

The basic principles of the power of the people

The core values ​​of democracy include five points:

1. Freedom. This applies to all areas of life. From preserving the people's ability to change the constitutional system to the realization of the rights of every person. Freedom of choice and speech are fundamental principles of this political regime.

2. Equality of citizens. All people, regardless of gender, age, skin color, official position, are equal before the law. There can be no restrictions and exceptions.

3. Election of representative authorities. The state must ensure their turnover, as well as guarantee a person the exercise of his suffrage.

4. The principle of separation of powers. The values ​​of democracy will not make sense without this provision. In order to avoid turning power into a means of suppressing human freedoms, there is a division into executive, legislative and judicial branches.

5. Social and political pluralism. It involves a plurality of opinions and various associations, as well as parties. All this gives new opportunities for citizens to participate in the public and political life of the country.

Administrative units

To implement this political regime, the state needs certain institutions. They are unique in their own way and are different for each country. There are several classifications, thanks to which you can identify some basic institutions that are necessary to achieve real democracy.

The implementation of the regime depends, first of all, on the number of population and the size of the territory. Small administrative units look more preferable here. In small groups, it’s easier to organize a discussion to solve a problem. People can more actively have a direct impact on a country's politics. Large administrative units, on the other hand, provide more room for discussion and problem solving. An excellent way out of this situation will be the delimitation of administrative and public units at different levels.

The advantages and disadvantages of the power of the people

Like other political regimes, democracy has its pros and cons. The advantages include the following points:

• democratic values ​​help eradicate despotism and tyranny;

• protect the interests of citizens;

• authorities receive the most complete information from the public;

• everyone has rights and obligations, and the state guarantees their implementation;

• political decisions are made by the people, thereby imposing moral responsibility;

• only with democracy is political equality possible;

• according to statistics, countries with this political regime are richer and more successful, and their level of morality and human relations is much higher than in other states;

• democratic countries practically do not fight each other.

Now consider the disadvantages of this mode:

• Democracy, its basic values ​​and attributes serve certain circles of society, allowing them to achieve their goals at the expense of other people.

• Perhaps the emergence of a dictatorship of the majority over the minority.

• The basis of this political regime is human freedom of speech. People have many opinions, so there are disagreements that can undermine the authority of the authorities.

• All people in the country can make decisions, regardless of their competence and knowledge, which can negatively affect the final results.