What is Democracy?

What is democracy?

• A sovereign state has clear borders and exercises supreme authority, including the monopoly on the legitimate use of force.
• Politics involves choices binding on everyone in a state, formalized as laws and implemented by ministers, officials, police, and the military.
• Many political issues concern everyone, impacting people directly or indirectly throughout their lives.
• Democracy means "rule by the people," with over half the world's population living under democratic rule today
• Direct democracy existed in ancient Athens, but citizens had direct influence.
• Representative democracy is where people elect representatives to make choices and vote.
  • This is more practical than direct rule because smaller groups can reach decisions faster.
  • Power is divided in a representative democracy based on a "trias politica" model, creating oversight by various branches.
  • A democracy must be governed by the rule of law, protecting citizens through a constitution.
• Key aspects of democracy include: individual freedoms, the right to free expression, and the right to vote.
  • Political rights like voting and standing for election are protected.
  • Confidence during voting requires that a party fulfills its promises after elections.
  • The police and military's powers are legally restricted.
    • Citizens cannot be arbitrarily detained, and force is limited to specific situations.
  • Independent courts exist with judges separate from the government.
  • Judges are not accountable for their rulings, and politicians/administrators respect their decisions.
  • Freedom of the press to oversee those in power aids informed decision-making, and transparency.

Parliamentary and Presidential systems

• A parliamentary system has a directly elected parliament as the highest authority, from which the cabinet is formed.
  • The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy with an unelected head of state greatly limited by a constitution.
• A presidential system has the population elect both a parliament and a president, who is granted significant constitutional powers.
  • The president usually heads the government, appointing and dismissing ministers but lacking the power to dissolve the parliament.
  • A constitutional monarchy, like the Netherlands, resulted from the king choosing to abide by the law in 1848.
  • Power is divided in a democracy based on the "trias politica" model, creating oversight by various branches.
• Democratic principles in the Netherlands include:
  • Precise definitions of the powers of the three branches in law, allowing voting/party formation from the age of 18.
  • The government allows freedom of the press, conditional on the media providing accurate information

Dictatorships and Ideologies

• Dictatorships concentrate power in one person or a small group, where typical characteristics include:
  • Not following the separation of powers, minimal individual/political freedom, and rule through government force.
  • Unaccountable judges are under threat, are removed or are influenced by the dictator's views.
  • Media operates under strict censorship with decisions are controlled by the authorities.
  • Decisions may be swift and efficient as the only benefit of a dictatorship.
• Types of dictatorships: ideologue, religious, and military
  • Ideologue: North Korea restricts political influence to those sharing an ideology, shaping public opinion.
  • Religious: Religious-based exercise of power, as in Iran, requires consent for all political decisions from religious leaders.
  • Military: Power wielded by the military through the army.

Political ideologies

• Ideologies: a set of coherent ideas about society with two aspects: common values and government influence.
  • Norms and values: the rules of social behavior, which may include being free to choose store opening hours on Sundays.
    • The main ideologies include: Liberalism, confessionalism, and socialism.
  • Liberalism is individualistic, with focus placed on freedom, responsibility, and tolerance.
    • Born in the 19th century, they gained support from scientists and pushed back against dictators.
    • They favor free market economics.
  • Confessionalism bases political decisions on belief.
    • It aims to build an organized government with the society connected in its components.
    • Christian democracy pursues stewardship, solidarity, harmony, and shared responsibility.
  • Socialism seeks equality and sharing the greatest burdens with the strongest, and arose in the 19th century.
    • Its goal includes ending inequality, and is considered 'left.'
    • Communists want workers to seize power, while Social Democrats seek improvements through parliamentary means.
    • Contemporary social democrats accept free market economics but support a fairer distribution of resources.
    • The Green Party considers economics less critical than ecology, advocates for sustainability.
  • Populism aims to amplify common citizens voices by simplifying problems.
    • Populists are not classifiable as being associated with left, right, progressive or conservative.
    • They often hold nationalistic views and oppose immigration.
  • Progressivism favors change with a focus on the future; Conservatism is about preserving the present and holding onto its past.
    • Reactionaries aim to restore policies backwards.
    • Cosmopolitanism defends national identity within globalization.
    • Nationalism treats globalization as a threat to jobs, culture, and identity.

Political Parties

• Political parties consist of groups of people share global ideas throughout time.
  • One-issue parties focus on a small amount of issues, while anti-democratic parties follow ideals against existing laws, and often invoke violence.
• Key functions of political parties in a democracy are:
  • The integration of ideas into proposals with the articulation of social issues on the political agenda.
  • Parties provide information and encourage citizen participation, and select candidates, like those for mayor or minister.
• Since WWII, society changed drastically, people became less religious and now represent "floating voters."
• Most parties have declining memberships, national politics have been affected by the EU, and immigration issues are now on the agenda.

Elections

• To vote: the voter must be over 18 years old
  • Active suffrage: the right to vote, passive suffrage: the right to be elected.
  • Voting occurs for national, provincial (States), local and European level.
• Proportional representation is the current system, and it involves the division of seats in proportion to the total votes cast.
  • Every vote matters equally, but discussions may take a long time because every party has a voice.
  • The problems lead some countries to use a threshold, and only parties clearing the threshold number of the seats get to participate.
  • Districts- or majority system is one with the country is divided into districts and candidates must obtain majority to represent the district.

Election Campaigns

• Election campaigns exist between the parties and the candidates
  • Campaign teams, led by prominent party members team with spin doctors, or communications specialists that advise politicians.
    • Televised debates contribute to election outcome.
    • Public opinion polls gauge the sentiment towards them.
• The US media goes over the elections with intensity and with the negative information from the party is highlighted.
• When choosing a party, the voter can consider party position, own benefit, and strategy.
  • It is impossible to remove an elected representative from the parliament, but this can occur in their own party.
  • Forming a coalition is used when it is difficult for there to be a majority.
• Coalitions are created through an information process, the examination and formation that will form the cabinet from the ruling body.
  • Information and formation is done through the biggest parties that could have minister-president chosen.
• The governance comes as an agreements in legislature on the government can come to power.
  • Prisjesdag consists of the Throne, and Miljoenennota, with all debates by both chambers.
    • The cabinet is in power for 4 years in principle, and can fall due to being at odds, or policy is rejected

Regering en parlement

• The cabinet consists of ministers and secretaries of state, and the government is composed and led by the king and ministers.
  • The king retains the ability to sign legislation while chairing state consultations, representing the country, and other symbolic functions.
  • The ministers, and state secretaries are lead by the Premier.
• The king must uphold the constitution like all in a state under law, but does have significant powers.
  • The principle of ministerial accountability dictates that The King is beyond reproach, with the responsibility taken by ministers.
  • The States General is made up of the First and Second chambers.
    • 150 members and are full-time in the Second Chamber.
    • Together with the government, they make laws and ensure that things run smoothly.
    • They act with the rights, and the right of the ministers to submit proposals themselves.
  • Budgetrecht, that of the government's plans must be included in the budget annually.
  • The motion that must be taken the state has and the secretaris, has to listen as well as being willing to come.
  • Kamerleden must be able to apply for a debate on an issue, and the research can be done on the role of government.
  • Senate consists of 75 seats and represents the 1st degree of the government, and takes one day per week.
    • It reviews proposals, and can approve the laws in the correct way.
    • From proposal to law to the government, everything is set up in a nice and clear way.

Policy and Influence

• The government and parliament have checks and balances, as they can never coincide.
  • The trias politica divides roles between executive and legislative branches for oversight purposes.
  • The coalition consists of ministers, and the parties agree to a common goal.
  • The 3 key partners are the politicians, community, citizens and the media.
• Influence to be aware and familiar with the politicians, media trainers, and even the use of the political arena.
• It is a system which goes from the demands of one person, to what the company has to deal with and the government has to comply to.
  • If one of the steps is missed, the minister is spoken to.

Political Actors

• Political actors involve all groups and governing bodies involved in decision-making.
• Public officials are involved in policy preparation, determination and implementation.
• There are multiple ways that people influence politics for example, with a vote.
  • Interest groups can also be created through media, or the written media.
  • The media helps in the 5 political functions.
    • The media helps in terms of what needs to be done for the sake of the population.
  • Due to the fact that most events and trends, some do impact others, some cause more harm and some can cause unvoorziene problemen.

Gemeente en Provincie

• According to Decentralisatie, hogere instanties do not do what lower level ones are cable.
• Every level has its own problems and the people have different views.
  • Provinces deal and manage with and do ruimtelijke bestur in local and national areas.
  • With municipalities working closely to what happens among its community. This works the way it has to in government and community tasks.

Internationale politiek

• The EU and the European Parliament are closely aligned with what is is happening internationally.
  • Soevereiniteit the right to decisions the must make decisions to.
  • They start with European cooperation and grow to the goals that will save the many that connect.
• Through Maastricht the EU and the euro become established and make more markets and more money.
• Governing on international standards is done by the EU.
  • Also in place, is what is done politically.
  • The secretary is in-charge and the members communicate.
  • Declarations are made to express concern internationally.
• Security and safety is maintained with five members of both VS, R, China, Frankrijk, Engeland.

Denken over democratie

• The need for a democratic traditie can be negative with what the people do with their countrys.
• The power between people and their society, will either respect you of they will not approve what you do.
  • The bareminums are to respect social codes, vote people, and be respectful.
  • Having elected people repesent you, and trusting them to make the right decisions.