Understanding Democratic Principles and Systems

Key Principles of Democracy

• Mandate Periods: This refers to the limited period of time officials are allowed to be in power. This prevents abuse of power and provides opportunities for other political parties and their candidates.
• Popular Sovereignty: Sovereignty is entrusted to a government that has popular support. This government is attributed powers to establish laws and enforce them.
• Legality: Elected officials are subject to the same laws as other citizens, ensuring equality between them.
• Control: The three branches of government have limited and specific actions and monitor each other.
• Purpose: To respect the principle of freedom and equality. All people are free and equal before the law, and all have the same rights as citizens. This principle arose during the French Revolution.
• Diversity of Opinions: Every citizen is entitled to think differently, to disagree with the government, and to express their opinions publicly. The media plays a significant role in this.

Mechanisms of Democracy

• Direct Democracy: In ancient Athens, citizens could participate through their voice and vote, as it was a small community where they had the chance to hear and be heard.
• Representative Democracy: Governors elect leaders who make political decisions on their behalf.
• Semi-Direct Democracy:
  • Popular Initiative: An instrument by which a certain number of citizens can demand that a legislative proposal be treated on a compulsory basis and within a specified time. It cannot be filed on criminal matters, budgets, changes in the constitution, or international treaties.
  • Popular Query: Consultations convened by the rulers where the people express their opinion on a specific topic.
  • Referendum: Citizens have the right to decide on a law dictated by the legislature, which may be accepted or rejected.
  • Recall: A signature board to dismiss a ruler.

Contemporary Democratic Regimes

• Parliamentarism: Citizens directly elect representatives who integrate the legislative power and appoint its members. The political leadership of the country is in charge of a Prime Minister or Head of Government.
• Presidentialism: Citizens freely elect, by majority vote, the President, who is both Head of State and Head of Government. The President is responsible for the political direction of the country and appoints and renews only their ministers.
• Semi-Presidentialism: Citizens directly vote for representatives who make up the legislature, and these representatives appoint a Head of Government and the other members of the cabinet by the method of majority vote (e.g., the French Republic).

Challenges to Democracy

• Crisis of Representation: This can manifest as a lack of confidence, breach of proposals, resentment, and corruption.
• Bureaucracy: A form of government in which officials act with high levels of autonomy in making political decisions and have power parallel to that of officials elected by citizens.
• Technocracy: Experts in a particular subject, such as economics or management, who are sometimes connected with other bodies, such as financial institutions, and may ignore the will of the elected representatives.
• Partidocracy: A deformation of democracy where political parties become independent of their own ideas and the people who voted for them.
• Neocorporatism: A system where certain sectoral interests are represented, such as unions representing workers, who have influence with the ruling government.