Trends, Networks, and Critical Thinking in the 21st Century Lesson 7: Democratic Interventions

Meaning of Democracy

• The word "democracy" originates from the Greek words 'demos' and 'kratos', meaning people and rule or power, respectively.

Models of Democracy

• Direct democracy involves people assembling in a particular venue and deciding without using representatives.
• Participatory democracy is characterized by citizens' active involvement in the decision-making process.
• Representative democracy requires citizens to elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.

Decision-Making Processes

• A referendum refers to a process where citizens directly vote on a specific issue or policy.

Key Characteristics

• The essential characteristic of direct democracy is that citizens make decisions directly.
• The main requirement of representative democracy is the election of representatives.

Importance of Citizen Involvement

• Citizens need to be involved in routine activities for them to become public and gain influence.

Common Concerns and Critiques

• A common complaint among many societies is the lack of citizen involvement in democratic processes.
• Undemocratic practices undermine the sovereignty of citizens.

Alternative Systems of Government

• Monarchy is a political system based on the undivided sovereignty or rule of a single person.
• The absence of government is known as anarchy.

Prevalence of Monarchy

• Monarchy is still somewhat common in some countries, according to the text.

Democratic Participation

• The primary concern of the study mentioned in the text is to ensure democratic participation.
• Citizens ensure that the state opens itself up to their influence by actively participating in decision-making processes.

Explore the concept of democracy and its models in the context of the 21st century. Learn about participatory democracy, direct democracy, and representative democracy to gain a deeper understanding of democratic interventions.