DEMOCRACY

PRESENTATION BY:-
SHALINI GUPTA[23527106]
SHANVI TYAGI [23527007]
RIYA MEHTA [23527038]
RACHNA [23527045]
 SYNOPSIS
INTRODUCTION
DEMOCRACY THE IDEA
PRINCIPLES
THEORIES OF DEMOCRACY
LIBERAL DEMOCRACY
CRITICCS
MULTICULTURALISM
CRITICS
TOLERATION
REPRESENTATION AND PARTICIPATION
CONCLUSION
BIBLOGRAPHY
INTRODUCTION
➢ Democracy has its real origin in Greek: demos meaning people and kratos meaning rule which makes
democracy rule of people. The term democracy and concept are firmly rooted in Ancient Greece.
➢ Democracy is both a form of government and an ideal, an aspiration and a standard.The core element of
democracy is self-rule.
➢ It is interesting to note that unlike the terms communism and socialism, which have a point of reference
in Marxism, democracy has not been associated with a specific doctrinal source or ideology.
• Varied meanings have been attached to the word ‘democracy’. Some of them are
• as follows:
• • A form of government in which people rule directly;
• • A society based on equal opportunity and individual merit, rather than hierarchy
• and privilege;
• •A system of decision-making based on the principle of majority rule;
• A system of rule that secures the rights and interests of minorities by placing
• checks upon the power of the majority
• •A system of government that serves the interests of the people regardless of
• their participation in political life (Heywood, 1997:66).
• -In short democracy is associated with Participation, Competition and civil and political liberties.
Historically it has been defended on the grounds of fundamental values such as equality, liberty,
moralsekf- development, social utility, satisfaction of wants, efficient decisions etc.
DEMOCRACY THE IDEA
• Democracy: The Idea To understand what democracy means, one has to
go through the debates around the idea
• 1.The idea of democracy is a very popular one and flexible term.
• 2.Democracy is essentially the idea of welfare and redistribution which
aims at resolving social inequalities.
• 3.On the other hand, it is a system of decision-making which is based on
the principle of majority rule but at the same time secures rights and
interest of minorities In Andrew Heywood’s book Politics. He writes,
• ● “A system of rule by the poor and disadvantaged
• ● A society based on equal opportunity and individual merit, rather than
hierarchy and privilege.
• ● A system of decision making based on the principles of majority
rule.
• ● A system of rule that secures the rights and interests of minorities
by placing checks upon the power of the majority
• ● A means of filling public offices through a competitive struggle for
the popular vote
• A system of government that serves the interests of the people
regardless of their participation in political life.
 PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY
❖PRINCIPLE OF PARTICIPATION
❖PRINCIPLE OF INTEREST
❖PRINCIPLES OF INDEPENDENCE
THEORIES OF DEMOCRACY
1.Liberal theory of Democracy Liberals claim that the state is to
promote the interests of the individual; the individual is the end, and the
state is the means. The essence of democracy for them lies in maximising the
freedom of the individual. So to say, the interests of individuals are identical
with their freedoms. Locke who said that the state had to ensure the safety
of the life, liberty and property of the individual is generally regarded as the
most influential and respected liberal philosopher.
• The liberal theory of democracy has passed through three phases and in
each phase it has got a different name. As a result, we have got the
classical liberal theory of democracy, the elitist theory of democracy, and
the pluralist theory of democracy.
a. CLASSICAL LIBERALISM
Classical Liberalism
• The main proponents of the classical liberal theory of democracy are John
Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, Bentham and J. S. Mill. Locke said that the
individual had the right to resist the state and revolt against it if the latter
failed to discharge its basic duty of safeguarding the life, liberty and
property oflhe former. He emphasized that the government, based on the
consent of the individual, was limited in its authority. Montesquieu who
propounded the theory of separation of powers provided sufficient
safeguards against the growth of dictatorship.
• The utilitarians, in general, laid emphasis on the importance of people's
participation in the political process.Jeremy Bentham, the proponent of the
"pleasure and pain" theory, advocated universal adult franchise .
B. ELITE THEORY

• The elite theory states that the society is always ruled by a minority who are "superior"
to others. The earlier elite theorists like Mosca and Pareto said that the elites were
superior to others in quality. On the other hand, the later elite theorists like C. W. Mills
and Floyd Hunter stated that the so-called superiority of elites was derived from their
family and social backgrounds and the hierarchical organization of the society.
• Elements of Elite Theory - All need not be equally active in democracy. It is enough that
some are more active and involved in the political process than others. In other words,
democracy, for its success, requires the gradation of the political involvement of citizens.
• Classical liberalism is people-oriented. It has great faith in the capacity of the people to
properly play their role in the social and political processes. It views the man as a rational
actor capable enough of making right political choice. Elitists, on the other hand, are
leader-oriented. They have a great deal of confidence in the ability of elites to deliver
goods - to help maintain the system.
C.THE PLURIST THEORY OF DEMOCRACY
Both Marxists and elitists hold that powers rest in the hands of a
minority; the majority of the members of the society are excluded from
the power structure. The pluralists, on the other hand, maintain that
powers are not concentrated; these are dispersed. These are shared
among all sections of people primarily through different organizations
formed to articulate their interests. These groups and associations
make regular and intense efforts to influence government policies and
decisions.
 LIBERAL DEMOCRACY
• 1.Liberal democracy which is a widely prevalent or acceptable form of democracy
• 2 .liberal democracy is the meaningful democracy or a feasible forms of democracy. And many
thinkers, especially, when the liberal democracy, for a very long time, was challenged by the
socialism or Marxist ideals, after the collapse of communism in Russia, one US New Right
Theorist, namely, Francis Fukuyama, argued about the end of history.,
• 3.So, what is this liberal democracy? A liberal state is based on the principle of limited
government. So, the government in a liberal democracy does not have the absolute power and so,
it is limited.
• 4.The government is a necessary evil, always, liable to become a oppressive . To ensure that the
government should not become oppressive they talk about checking the government power or
putting some balance or check on the power of the government
• 5. the liberal democracy promotes a vibrant or healthy civil society, where freedom of speech and
expression is guaranteed, the right to criticize the government is protected, civil liberties and the
property rights6.In a liberal democracy, the idea of election and having the election, periodically,
in a free and fair manner is very necessary, for the legitimacy of the government.
CRITICS
• The criticisms of classical democracy are as follows:
• 1. Rationality Assumption: It assumes individuals are rational, but in
reality, people are often influenced by factors like caste, ethnicity, and local
loyalties, which don't always serve their best interests.
• 2. Questionable Legitimacy: While democracy claims to reflect the
people's will, true freedom is limited by poverty, ignorance, and inequality.
Elections are often influenced by money and power, making the idea of
"free choice" a myth.
• 3.Complexity: The democratic process is complicated and difficult for
ordinary citizens to fully understand and engage with.
• 4. Economic Bias: Classical liberal democracy prioritizes individual
freedom, often to protect the economic interests of the rich, maintaining a
system that benefits a class-divided society.
MULTICULTURALISM
➢ Multiculturalism appeared in political theory in the 1970s and the 1980s when it
was used to denote a shift in public policy away from assimilation of ethnic
minorities and immigrants towards integration and acceptance of diverse cultures in
countries like Canada and Australia.
➢The term multiculturalism is used to describe a society in which different cultures
can coexist. It signifies attempts to balance diversity against cohesion.
➢ It also calls for social transformation to eliminate racism and promote tolerance.
Embracing diversity through accommodation, a multicultural society should be
based on principles that do not discriminate based on language or religion and
ensure unity among diverse groups for peaceful coexistence
➢ In an ideal world, multicultural societies would have basic rules and institutions
while allowing for freedom of movement. Ultimately, the practical implementation
of multiculturalism involves defining national identity, establishing criteria for
membership, and regulating Immigration.
 CRITICS OF MULTICULTURLISM
• A number of drawbacks of multiculturalism have been highlighted by many
experts.
• Some progressive theorists believe that multiculturalism fails to address the
grievances of the disadvantaged sections of society. They say that the real
problem of minorities is not lack of cultural recognition, but their lack of
economic power and social status (issues of class).
• According to Amartya Sen, multiculturalism is based on solitarist theory. He
argues that multiculturalism leads to miniaturization of humanity as identity
is associated with a single social group. It makes violence more likely as
people identify with their own group and sometimes fail to recognize rights
of other groups.
• feminists argue that group differentiated rights are used by men to
strengthen and perpetuate their power in a group and women are
marginalized in such an environment.
TOLERATION
➢Toleration is a social virtue. It is a political principle allowing for the
peaceful coexistence of individuals and groups.
➢ Toleration is required in situations where social differences exist and more
so if these do not coexist harmoniously.
➢Tolerance then becomes basic for social order and peace, hence bringing
out an establishment of link between toleration and difference.
The following are the four different conceptions of toleration:
– The view of tolerance as a moral virtue.
– The liberal views of toleration according to the perfectionist.
– The liberal view of neutralist perspective.
– Toleration as recognition.
CONCLUSION
• Democracy, in its broadest sense, refers to popular rule. But over time, it
has been linked to a number of different meanings. Three key questions
have frequently been at the center of discussions regarding the nature of
democracy. Initially, to should what degree ought political authority should
be allocated? Second, should elected representatives run the government
or should the people effectively run it themselves? Thirdly, is it appropriate
to use a democratic method to reach a common decision? Without the use
of representative institutions, citizens make decisions under direct
democracy, which has its roots in ancient Greece. This perspective
emphasizes the importance of public discourse for both the participants
and the caliber of the judgments made. Due to its significant flaws, this
democratic paradigm is not a popular form of government in modern
times.
BIBLOGRAPHY
• 1.Theories of Democracy: (Liberal and Marxist Democracy) Arun
Norge Hidayattullah National Law University, Raipur2. Toleration - du
sol pdf.
• Democracy the idea :-Sol pdf
• Liberal democracy :-sol pdf
• Introduction - IGNOU material + sol material Liberal democracy
critique- Theories of democracy(liberal and marxist)
• Critics of multiculturalism- IGNOU material
• Multiculturalism and principles- Sol PDF