Democracy

• Democracy is a form of government where the power rests with the people.
• Abraham Lincoln defined democracy as the government of the people, for the people and by the people
• Types of democracy

  1. Direct democracy
  2. Indirect democracy
• Direct democracy is whereby every member of the society is free to participate directly in matter of the state.
• Direct democracy is practiced through the following devices;

  1. Referendum
  2. Initiative
  3. Recall
  4. Plebiscite
• Referendum: It's whereby a matter of political importance is taken to the people to vote for it or against it.
• Initiative: this is whereby the people come up with a law and take it to the legislative body for consideration.
• Recall: This is a method by which an official or an elected representative is removed or dismissed from an office
• Plebiscite: This is a device to obtain a direct popular vote on a matter of political importance.
• Indirect democracy is a system whereby the members of the society choose representatives to run their affairs
• Essentials of Indirect Democracy

  • Universal Suffrage: This is whereby people above the age of 18 are allowed to vote
  • Free & Fair elections: This is whereby the election process is free from corruption, manipulation or intimidations of voters.
  • People Supremacy: