Democracy

• Democracy is a system of governing a country. The people govern themselves indirectly through their representatives whom they elect. Such a society is characterised by social equality and tolerance.
• In Malta, we have a democracy as a type of government.
• The type of government we have in Malta is called representative democracy. The first type of democracy was called direct democracy.
• The first direct democracies were formed in Greece thousands of years ago.
• Polis were independent city states in Greece.
• Each city's state in Greece had an individual identity reinforced by religious ties, legal decisions and political decisions.
• Decisions in Greece were made either by the Nob families or during assemblies of all citizens.
• A tyrant is an authoritarian sovereign Who ruled without regard to the law and for his own advantage without regard to his subjects Sometimes going to extremes and using cruel tactics.
• An oligarchy is a form of government in which the power is in the hands of a few people.
• The first steps of democracy in Athens were taken by Solon. He made new laws to bridge the unrest between the rich and the poor.
• Cleisthenes Created the democratic means of decision-making with the formation of the new council of 500.
• Ostracism was a form of control over anyone who dared to create trouble.
• The popular juries were one of the first examples of a check/balance mechanism.
• Pericles was a demagogue, which means that he was a leader who was support by appealing to people's feelings and prejudices rather than by reasoning.
• The Ancient Athenian city-state is often viewed as the basic model of democracy.
• There is no perfect democracy and as a system it is always evolving
• Imitations of Athenian democracy:

  1. inferior status of women
  2. Reliance on slavery
  3. unequal sharing of power among male citizens.
• Main classes in Athenian society

  1. Economic elite.
  2. Hoplites
  3. Common citizens
  4. rural slaves
  5. Rowers
• In Athens a delicate balance was being reached with the first steps in democracy between the political, the cultural and economic scenarios.
• Direct democracy is when a referendum is carried out. In Malta we had two regarding divorce and bird hunting.
• Representative democracy is when representatives of the people are elected by those entitled to vote to govern the country.
• The greater the growth and development of a country, the greater responsibilities given to its government. This result in a more complex government.
• Roles of a government:

  1. provide security
  2. Regulates the organisations
  3. Provides services
• Democracy is not just a system of government but also an ideology.
• Main characteristics of democracy.

  1. Majority rule
  2. Minority rights
  3. Individual importance
  4. The equality of man
  5. A free society
  6. A healthy exchange of ideas
  7. A tolerance of different ideas
• Strengths of democracy:

  1. Gives opportunities to the individual to reach their full potential.
  2. Provides greater Security and personal satisfaction.
  3. Provides for the peaceful change of the law.
• Weaknesses of democracy:

  1. Citizens remain passive.
  2. Decision processes may be slow.
  3. Citizens rights may seem to be forfeited after an election.