What is Democracy? - CANADIAN COLLEGE...
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Gr. 12 Canadian and World Politics What is Democracy? • system of government where the people grant the authority to govern within constitutional constraints (rule of law) Two dominant varieties: 1. Direct Democracy • citizens are directly involved in making decisions 2. Representative Democracy • decisions affecting the community are made by elected representatives of the people • two forms: the Constitutional Monarchy (hereditary monarch is largely a ceremonial head of state) and the Republic (people elect the head of state) Democratic Systems Constitutional monarchies, such as Canada, employ a parliamentary system of government (Republics, on the other hand, use a presidential or hybrid system)
Transcript of What is Democracy? - CANADIAN COLLEGE...
Gr. 12 Canadian and World Politics
WhatisDemocracy?• system of government where the people
grant the authority to govern within constitutional constraints (rule of law)
Twodominantvarieties:
1.DirectDemocracy
• citizensaredirectlyinvolvedinmakingdecisions
2.RepresentativeDemocracy
• decisionsaffectingthecommunityaremadebyelectedrepresentativesofthepeople
• twoforms:theConstitutionalMonarchy(hereditarymonarchislargelyaceremonialheadofstate)andtheRepublic(peopleelecttheheadofstate)
Democratic Systems
Constitutionalmonarchies,suchasCanada,employaparliamentarysystemofgovernment(Republics,ontheotherhand,useapresidentialorhybridsystem)
Gr. 12 Canadian and World PoliticsDemocratic Systems
BriefHistoryofDemocracy
UsetheBBCDemocracyTimelinetoinvestigatedemocracyovertime.Choose3pointsinthehistoryofdemocracythatyoufeelaremostcriticaltoitsdevelopment.
BBC Democracy Timeline
BBC Democracy Timeline Flash
http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/in_depth/why_democracy/timeline/html/non_Hlash.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/629/629/7034525.stm
Gr. 12 Canadian and World PoliticsDemocratic Systems
• inmoderntimes,liberaldemocracyisusedtoindicatearepresentativedemocracy
• LiberalDemocraciesarebasedonthecommongroundofrespectforconstitutionalprocedure,limitedstateintervention,andtheprotectionofpersonalfreedoms
LiberalDemocraticStates2010(source:Wikipedia)
Gr. 12 Canadian and World PoliticsDemocratic Systems
WhatconstitutesafullLiberalDemocracy?
1.Freedom
• ofspeech,religion,andpolitical,economic,andsocialrights‐allareaprecondition
2.RuleofMany
• withprotectionofminorityrights
3.GovernwithintheRuleofLaw
• inaccordancewiththeconstitution• equalityunderthelaw
4.EqualityofPoliticalRights
• everyindividualhastherighttovote,runforofHice,serveonajury,speakonpublicissues,andcarryoutpublicfunctions
Gr. 12 Canadian and World PoliticsDemocratic Systems
5.MajorityRules(referstoelectiontopublicofHice)• PluralityMajority:thelargestnumberofvotes,evenif<50%,inordertobeelected
• Quali7iedMajority:2/3or3/5ofvoterequiredtobeelected(moredifHiculttoattain,isdonetoprotectminorityrights)
• SimpleMajority:50%plusone• Unanimity
6.MassParticipation
• UniversalSuffrage:alladultcitizenshavetherighttovote
7.LegitimacyofOpposition
• therighttocriticizegovernment(withinthelaw)andrunagainstincumbents
Gr. 12 Canadian and World PoliticsDemocratic Systems
LimitationsofFullDemocracy
1. Lobby&interestgroups
• speakforpowerfulprivateinstitutions(e.g.corporations),canoverridetheconcernforthecommongood
2.Electoralsystemslessthanperfect• (e.g.7irstpastthepost,proportionalrepresentation)maynotaccuratelyreHlectthepublicwill
3. Globalization&internationalfreetrade• canerodeeconomicsovereignty(e.g.decisionsbyWTOorIMF)
4. FailuretoprotectidentiSiablegroups• candiscriminateagainstminoritygroups(e.g.racialproHiling)
Gr. 12 Canadian and World PoliticsDemocratic Systems
5.Canlimitcivilliberties• Anti‐terrorismAct(2001)andPublicSafetyAct(2004)increasedpolicepowers
6.Canactarbitrarily• withoutjustiHication(e.g.detainingforeignerswithsuspectedlinkstoterroristgroups,suchastheU.S.ofHicialsdeportingCanadianMaherArar)
7.Oligarchyofthewealthy• concentrationofwealthinthehandsofafew,increasingeconomicdisparities
8.FocusonIndividualism• individualrightstendtosupersedethepublicgood(e.g.U.S.constitutionguaranteeingindividualsthe‘righttobeararms’)
ReadtheBBCarticle,Stillonly2cheersfordemocracy(http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7025675.stm)andpp.247‐258inyourtext.Whatdotheyhavetoaddtothe“LimitationsofDemocracy”?
Gr. 12 Canadian and World PoliticsDemocratic Systems
DemocraciescanalsobeclassiSiedaccordingtodegree:
PartialDemocracies
• haveonlysomeofthecharacteristicsofafulldemocracy
EmergingDemocracies
• arepartialdemocraciesattemptingtobecomeafulldemocracy
Aspointedinyourtext,thetransitiontodemocraticvaluesandinstitutionsisacomplexprocessandcanbeatoddswithcultural,politicalandeconomicrealities.ConHlictsinevitablyarise,whichcansometimeseruptintoviolence.
Formanycountriesoftheworld,progresstowarddemocracyhasinvolvedcolonizationanddecolonization.
Gr. 12 Canadian and World PoliticsDemocratic Systems
Colonization
• isthepopulationofanewareabyaninHluxofpeople
Colonialism
• istheextensionofanation'ssovereigntyoverterritorybeyonditsbordersbytheestablishmentofeithersettlerorexploitationcoloniesinwhichindigenouspopulationsaredirectlyruled,displaced,orexterminated.
Decolonization
• theprocessingainingindependenceafteracolonialpowerrecognizestherightofacolonytoself‐government
ColonizationandDecolonization
Gr. 12 Canadian and World PoliticsDemocratic Systems
ColonialPowers
Gr. 12 Canadian and World PoliticsDemocratic Systems
ColonialPowers
Gr. 12 Canadian and World PoliticsDemocratic Systems
ColonialPowers
1900
Gr. 12 Canadian and World PoliticsDemocratic Systems
ColonialPowers
1945
Gr. 12 Canadian and World PoliticsDemocratic Systems
Decolonization
Gr. 12 Canadian and World PoliticsDemocratic Systems
RuleofLaw
Gr. 12 Canadian and World PoliticsDemocratic Systems
MajorLegalSystemsoftheWorldSource:Wikipedia(2010)
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