Powao, Jayford O.

PTS 144

AB POSC PTS-IV

3:00-4:30

WHAT DEMOCRACY IS AND IS NOT

No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been
said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other
forms that have been tried from time to time. -Winston Churchill
It cannot be denied that the word Democracy is the most popular form
of government. Democracy is universally popular, in fact most countries
today are claiming to be Democratic or is ruled by a Democracy. This is
primarily because of the primary feature of Democracy which guarantees the
preservation and protection of basic human rights. Democracy is an ideal,
and everyone agrees that it is desirable but we disagree on how we can
achieve it. Democracy is a very contested concept, Democracy has many
variants and types. Each type of Democracy varies according to a countrys
social, economic and political setup.
The article explicitly discusses What Democracy is all about, its
features, elements, the indicators, the procedures that make democracy
possible, principles that make democracy feasible and lastly the weaknesses
and lapses of Democracy.
According to the authors, Modern Political democracy is a system of
governance in which rulers are held accountable for their actions in the
public realm by citizens, acting indirectly through the competition and
cooperation of their elected representatives. One of the most essential
element of Democracy is suffrage, which is the highest form of political
participation among the citizens in which they are given the power to vote
for a candidate of their own choice that will become their representatives
who will legitimately rule and run the affairs of the state. What distinguish
democratic rulers from non-democratic ones are the norms that condition
how the former come to power and the practices that hold them accountable
for their actions. This has become the most salient feature of democracy, in
proof, most popular definition of democracy equates it with regular elections
which are fairly conducted and honestly counted. Citizens should cooperate
in the decision making process and act in solidarity and articulate their
interests through parties, associations
In order for Democracy to flourish, there are specific procedural norms
that should be followed as well as the protection of civic rights. Robert Dahl
posited seven essential conditions that must be present in order for a state
to be considered as democratic, these are: First, Elected officials have the

control over the government and its decisions. Second, elected officials shall
be chosen from the conduct of frequent and fair elections which should be
free from coercion. Third, all adults have the right to vote in the election of
officials. Fourth, practically all adults have the right to run for offices. Fifth,
Citizens are entitled to express themselves freely without the dangers of
being punished. Sixth, citizens have a right to seek out alternative sources of
information. Seventh, citizens have the freedom to form associations in
which they can assert their interests in a collective manner through parties
and groups. These seven conditions are necessary for Democracy to be
possible but they are not sufficient conditions for its existence.
It has been linked that Democracy is correlated to Development. It is a
fact that most of the most developed countries in the world practice
Democracy. We see Democracy as a key to good life. Democracy ensures us
many things, among of these are the fundamental rights of expression,
speech and association. However, it cannot be denied that Democracy is not
a perfect form of government. Aristotle even classifies Democracy as a
perverted form of government. Democracy has its own share of weaknesses
and lapses. It is a common misconception that if we democratize, we will
resolve all our problems whether economic, social, political, administrative as
well as cultural. The author boldly enumerates four claims of what
Democracy does not promise us. First, democracies are not necessarily more
efficient economically than other forms of government. Second, democracies
are not necessarily more efficient administratively. Third, democracies are
not likely to appear more orderly or stable than the autocracies they replace.
Fourth, democracies will have more open societies and polities than they
replace, but not necessarily more open economies.
REFLECTION:
Democracy is very desirable because it guarantees the protection and
promotion of the basic human rights which are denied in autocratic societies.
Democracy also promises social equality, education, economic growth,
human empowerment. Democracy is also ideal because it help prevents
abusive rule and provide a mechanism for removing corrupt leaders and
ineffective regimes. Democracy equalizes the playing field and provides the
setting for political competition which in turn encourages better governance.
The democratization is spearheaded by the hegemon USA which wants to
democratize every country in the world. USA for example has initiated
democratization efforts in Middle Eastern countries to change their form of
government to authoritarianism into a democratic one. The democratization
of various countries has served the national security interests of US
especially after the cold war when the Soviet Russia has completely
collapsed. Also, USA put forwards its interests in oil, security and trade by
initiating democratic movements in the Middle East which are compromised
by its emphasis on human rights.

Meanwhile, the Philippines practices Democracy since the toppling of

the Marcos authoritarian regime. Elections are essential in Democratic
states. Not just elections but a fair conducted one. We choose our
representatives frequently in a timely manner but it is doubtful if it is fairly
conducted. Our nation has been haunted by different electoral frauds,
electoral sabotage and not to mention vote buying is widespread and is
indoctrinated in our system. Yes, everybody can seek for office, but the setup
is more favourable to the rich elites. Only these personalities who come from
prominent and rich families can be sworn to office. This undermines the
chances of typical Filipino politicians who are not gifted economically but are
rich in experience, track records and capabilities. A bulk of the Filipino voting
population are Uneducated masses who vote based on popularity, the
frequency of their appearance on tv ads, and not based on credentials, party
principles and platforms of government. With these, we can question, the
Philippines is a Democratic state. But is it really Democratic in essence? One
thing is for sure, Democracy does not assure us that it is efficient and is an
immediate solution to our political, economic, social and cultural problems.