Democracy is a government system where citizens have equal participation in decision-making processes, including legislation. It is characterized by an implicit bargain between government representatives and citizens, with legitimacy based on citizens’ expectations. The term ‘democracy’ has been used since ancient Greek historian Herodotus to describe political systems, particularly Athens, following a popular uprising in 508 BC. Classical Athenian democracy is considered a direct democracy, involving citizens in collective political decisions and equal voting rights. The government was composed of an assembly, a 500-member council, an executive body, and juries in popular law courts. However, the assembly was male-only above 20 years of age excluding slaves and foreigners.
Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, saw virtue in the rule of the many, provided it was exercised for the common good. He proposed rules that divided and regulated power, making the democratic process less prone to abuse by powerful groups or individuals. This form of governing system, identical to democracy, has been rare throughout history due to its difficulty in executing.
The Romans invented the concept of classics and inspired many political thinkers over the centuries. Today’s representative democracies imitate more Roman than Greek models, with indirect democracy, with representatives from the nobility in the Senate and commoners in the Assembly. Roman philosophers like Cicero advocated for democracy, urging that governmental and political power should come from the people.
Judicial independence is crucial for upholding the rule of law and respecting democratic principles.
Throughout European history, democracy has been prevalent in the Middle Ages, with various systems involving elections or assemblies. Feudalism, which stressed the rights of all people, developed a system of courts to defend these rights, leading to the modern-day judiciary and parliamentary systems. In 1215, the Magna Carta opened the door to a more democratic system in England, with the first elected parliament being De Montfort’s Parliament. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the concept of democracy continued to exist in Europe through the writings of Niccolo Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Montesquieu, Voltaire, Jean Jacques Rousseau, and David Hume. The first nation to adopt a democratic constitution was the Corsican Republic in 1755, which was the first based on Enlightenment principles and allowed for female suffrage.
The American and French Revolutions also contributed to the development of democratic governments, with political thinkers like Alexis de Tocqueville, Montesquieu, Voltaire, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau inspiring the people with their ideas. In the 20th century, transitions to liberal democracy have come in successive waves, resulting from wars, revolutions, decolonization, religious, and economic circumstances. By 1920, democracy prospered and continued to spread with the emergence of nation-states, with most representative democracies. Modern democratic theory views individual freedom, personal responsibility, and the rule of law as cornerstones of a democratic system. Successful states geographically and culturally adjoining Western Europe are now members or candidate members of the European Union.
Democracy can be a model form of government if certain conditions are met including universal education, political consciousness, the absence of inequality and discrimination, good leadership, and the presence of an effective judiciary. Universal education is crucial for every child within a state, as it helps citizens develop necessary qualities and become aware of their rights and duties. It is not just about teaching children to read or do math, but also plays a significant role in shaping the state in the next generation. Universal education is transformative, and empowering, and provides economic, social, political, and cultural benefits. As children grow up, they are less likely to be poor, or chronically ill, and better understand their rights and duties. It also promotes prosperity and gender equality. Pakistan has the world’s second-highest number of out-of-school children, representing 44 percent of the total population. The country faces challenges in enrolling and retaining disadvantaged children, particularly rural girls, in schools. With nearly 10.7 million boys and 8.6 million girls enrolled at the primary level, the number of out-of-school children doubles after primary school age, indicating Pakistan has been failing to meet universal education, preventing a primary condition for democracy to flourish.
A successful democracy requires political consciousness among citizens, strong public opinion, and fundamental rights. Citizens must be able to enjoy basic civic rights and freedom to express and develop their personality. Inequalities and discrimination must be removed from social, economic, and political spheres, and people must be democratic-minded. A democratic government ensures the equality of individuals by giving every citizen the right to cast a vote irrespective of status. Social justice should prevail in a democracy, but it also requires the elimination of vast inequalities of wealth with equitable distribution. Good leadership is essential for democracy’s success, as statesmen work for the state, its people, and the system, rising above chaos.
The presence of an independent and effective judiciary is crucial for protecting the fundamental rights of the people and guarding the Constitution. The judiciary must be independent and free of political influence, treating every citizen equally and fairly. Judicial independence is crucial for upholding the rule of law and respecting democratic principles. American Jurist William Rawle observed that in every well-organized government, with regard to the security of public and private rights, it is indispensable to have an effective judiciary to ascertain and decide rights, punish crimes, administer justice, and protect the innocent from injury and usurpation.
Pakistan has to fulfil all of the prerequisites for a successful democracy to be able to flourish. A democracy barely makes it to its objective in the face of a plethora of obstacles including judicial independence and accountability, media freedom, economic crises, military influence, political instability, and religious tensions. Political instability can cause inconsistent policies, while economic problems like poverty and inequality hinder democratic growth. Media freedom is crucial for a robust democracy, but illegal limitations can restrict viewpoints. Political indifference and low educational attainment also hinder informed electorates.
The writer is PhD in Political Science, and visiting faculty at QAU Islamabad. He can be reached at zafarkhansafdar@yahoo.com and tweet@zafarkhansafdar
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