Since the ancient Greek city states, it has been questioned what a democracy requires and what consequences follow when a nation is under democratic rule. Are there certain conditions which, when met, establish democracy? If there are such requisites and formulas, why don’t all democracies lead to the same outcome then? Or why does one fail significantly while another flourish?
There clearly is no hard and fast rule to how a democracy best functions, yet years and years of history, rise and fall of nations and research does highlight a significant recurring factor; which I believe has been understated; and that is the civil society in any given country.
What is the civil society? What does it mean that is it well-functioning and fulfilling it’s role of upholding democratic values in any given country? It is the people, basically the subject matter of democracy, the citizens of a country; and about how much they hold on, internalize, defend and utilize the democratic values, rights and protections available to them in practice (notice not just on paper).
Do people vote? Does everyone vote? Or do they believe their vote is useless because it will always be the same party or person coming to power no matter what. Nobody should restrain another from casting their vote. There should be a civically engaged population. People should be encouraged to vote. One extreme example, for instance, is that Australia penalizes non-voting. But more important than voting is whether the voting procedure is corrupt or free of fraud. And if so, are people there to protect their votes? Voting is perhaps the most fundamental and valuable right citizens hold in a democracy, the right that establishes the democratic system in one sense.
Are there any NGO’s that protect women, children, minorities, that support different sects or religions than what the majority follows or supports in one country? Are gay rights protected? Or are lesbians free to protest and enjoy the same freedoms as the dominant majority in that country?
What about the political minority? Can they speak up against the ruler? Can they openly criticize the government? Are there any arbitrary police arrests? Is the right to a fair trial guaranteed, not only on paper but also in practice? Are there associations and organizations that protect the weak, the disabled? What about advocacy and grassroots groups? Do they have the power to effect politics, get their voices heard?
People should not be subjects, merely there to obey, but citizens who have the power to change, establish platforms and choose the sovereign. Democracy means nothing on paper, it should be established in practice to actually mean something.
The idea of participating in self rule is the key idea behind democracy.