EDUCATION AND INFORMATION ABOUT DEMOCRACY

There are different forms of government .Democracy is one of them .It is considered to be an ideal form of government.The best definition of democracy has been given by by Abraham Lincoln, the famous president of the United States.He says that democracy is the government of the people for the people and by the people.In a democracy ,the government is formed by the elected representatives of the people .The government is run according to the will of the people in general .The ruling power of the state is vested ,not in a particular class or classes,but in the communtiy as a whole.

The representative are elected periodically,so they work for the good of the people.If they do not rule of legislate in the interest of the people ,they are not selected in the next election.Election is a cardinal feature of democracy .Every adult has the right to vote in the election of the representatives .This is called adult suffrage.

In a democratic state,the citizens enjoys certain freedoms.They have the freedom of belief,the freedom of expression,the freedom of movement,the freedom of association and the freedom of religion.Besides these freedoms, democracies work for another type of freedom.This is freedom from want or economic freedom.A democratic government tries to ensure the basic needs of the people;food,clothing,housing,education and medical care.Democracy is meaningless if the government does not ameliorate the economic condition of the people.

Democracy raises the dignity of the people .It develops their faculties ,stimulates their interest in public affairs and makes them vigilant.Every individaul has the right to vote.It is based on the principle of equality and the consent of the governed.It is no respecter of vested interests .As the number of the common people in far greater than that of the privileged classes,there is less chance of the former being exploited by the tatter.

But democracy is not with out defects.The elected representatives may betray the cause of the people and misuse the powers entrusted to them.They may infuse party spirit in society and neglect merit and individual initiative.Democracy is based on party system.The party that is represented in the government may neglect the other parties .The other parties may create difficulties and obstacles for the smooth functioning of the government.