Democracy is a system of government where power is held by elected representatives or directly by the people. It is based on principles of freedom, equality, and power held by the consent of the majority. Several 18th century philosophers helped establish pro-democracy principles like freedom of press, religious liberty, and universal suffrage. Laws and technologies can help strengthen democracy by increasing voter participation, transparency in political funding and spending, and giving citizens a more direct role in the political process through initiatives and civic participation online and offline.

1. Democracy

2. Question # 1
What is democracy?

3. The word democracy is derived from the Greek word
demokratia, which is composed of the words demos
and kratos - people power.
https://www.solonian-institute.com/about

4. Democracy is the belief in freedom and equality
between people, or a system of government based on this
belief, in which power is either held by elected representatives
or directly by the people themselves.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/democracy

5. Democracy is a regime in which power cannot be
taken or held against the will of the majority.
https://en.unesco.org/courier/novembre-1992/what-democracy

6. In the 18th century, political philosophers John Locke, Charles
Montesquieu and Jean-Jacques Rousseau created several pro-
democracy principles:
 Freedom of the press.
 Religious liberty.
 Popular elections.
 Universal suffrage.
 Equality before the law.
 Separation of powers.
 Independent judiciary.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3397074094
Pages 143 and 182.

7. Question # 2
What laws can improve democracy?

8. The ideal democracy is one in which
as many citizens as possible vote.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/02/democracy-crisis-plan-trump-brexit-system-politicans-voters

9. Switzerland has the second longest standing democracy in the
world. The constitution of Switzerland was signed in 1848.
Possibilities to improve democracy in Switzerland:
 Voting rights for a larger part of the population.
 Increase in voter turnout.
https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/fifty-shades-of-democracy--can-you-measure-people-power-/45889898
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-the-worlds-oldest-democracies/

10. The ideal democracy is one in which voters are armed with
the most objective information.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/02/democracy-crisis-plan-trump-brexit-system-politicans-voters

11. 5th Century BC Athens was a direct democracy. Any citizen
could attend a meeting several times a month
and propose a law. What are your thoughts?
https://youtu.be/0fivQUlC7-8

12. What if information about donations to political
parties is published openly on the Internet.
https://www.economist.com/essay/2014/02/27/whats-gone-wrong-with-democracy

13. What if information about expenses, which members of
parliament have, is published openly on the Internet.
https://www.economist.com/essay/2014/02/27/whats-gone-wrong-with-democracy

14. What if members of parliament are paid relative to how fast
incomes of people, who have the 20% lowest wages, grow.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/02/democracy-crisis-plan-trump-brexit-system-politicans-voters

15. Organize dialogues between people in small groups.
https://ideas.ted.com/how-can-we-improve-democracy-one-intriguing-idea-set-up-a-jury-system/

16. Hand some decisions to ordinary people.
That will strengthen democracy, as it creates balance
between globalism and localism.
https://www.economist.com/essay/2014/02/27/whats-gone-wrong-with-democracy

17. The Finnish parliament must consider any
citizen initiative that gains 50,000 signatures.
https://www.economist.com/essay/2014/02/27/whats-gone-wrong-with-democracy

18. Question # 3
What technologies can help
improve democracy?

19. https://www.change.org/

20. https://campax.org/

21. https://yrpri.org/

22. https://citizens.is/portfolio/

23. https://citizenos.com/
https://manabalss.lv/

24. https://g0v.asia/
https://join.gov.tw/
https://info.vtaiwan.tw/

25. What other ideas do you have to improve democracy?