This document defines democracy as a political system where power is held by citizens who can choose their leaders through elections. It discusses the origins of democracy in ancient Athens, where only male citizens could vote. While Athenian democracy ended with Roman conquest, elements of democracy continued in other places during the Middle Ages, though most populations still could not participate. Modern representative democracy emerged in the 18th century with the American and French Revolutions. Key characteristics of democracy include citizen rule through voting, protection of individual and minority rights, free and fair elections, citizen participation, and cooperation/compromise.

1. DEMOCRACY
Presented by Paradigm

2. DEFINITION
• A political system that gives power to the people as
a whole.
• Originates from the Greek word dēmokratía – “rule
of the people”.
• This system allows people to choose their leaders.

4. EARLIEST DEMOCRATIC STATE
• First practiced in the city-state of Athens, Greece in
the 6th Century BC.
• Voting was limited to citizens. Only men had voting
rights while women and slaves were not eligible to
vote.
• It had a rocky history as its continuity depended on
Athens’ independence. It was interrupted during
wars with Sparta and later Macedon.
• Roman conquest brought a permanent end to
Athenian Democracy in the Classical Era.

5. EARLIEST DEMOCRATIC STATE

6. HISTORY
• Even with the end of Athenian democracy, some
form of it would continue to exist among other
nations and city-states even during the Middle
Ages. However most only allowed a small
percentage of the population to participate.
• Democracy in the form that we know today only
really started in the 18th century CE with the
American and French Revolutions.

7. CHARACTERISTICS
• A system of representative democracy that puts
authority in the hands of leaders chosen by the
people in elections.
• Candidates for leadership are chosen among
different competing political parties. Each have
their own vision of what they want for the country.
• A government is sworn in by the party that wins.
They can only remain in power for a term (4 or 5
years) but can be extended due to extraordinary
circumstances (State of Emergency).
• Economic systems may vary but the most
predominant form is capitalism.

8. CHARACTERISTICS
• 1. Citizen rule
• A democratic government grants adult citizens the
right to elect their representatives. It also establishes
clear guidelines for election cycles and term limits
so that the key positions are contested at regular
intervals. Through this process of voting, citizens are
regularly given the ability to hire or fire their
representatives.

9. • 2. Majority rule and minority rights
• The principle of majority rule is an important parts of
the democracy system. The majority rules in election
process, but individual rights are protected by the
maintenance of decentralized, local government
bodies. In a democracy, it is understood that all
levels of government should be accessible to, and
representative of people.

10. • 3. Individual rights
• Democracies value the protection of individual
rights. these rights such as freedom of religion and
equal protection under he law, are such important
parts of a democracy that the term ‘freedom’ is
often associate with the term ‘democracy’.

11. • 4. Free and fair election
• The key to exercise of democracy is the election
process. Free and fair election are held at regular
intervals for the election of representatives at all
levels of government in a fee. Democratic election,
all adult citizens are given the right to cast votes-
ensuring that the will of the people will be
expressed.

12. • 5. Citizen participation
• Citizens of democracy not only have the right to
vote, but also the responsibility to participate.
informed participation is key in a democracy.
Having the right t vote and express themselves,
those livinng in a democratic society are called
upon to act as guardians of their own freedom.

13. • 6. Cooperation and compromise
• Democracies also value cooperation and
compromise to protect individual rights. To
adequately safeguard diversity and accurately
represent all communities, a democracy must
protect the right to be different. For this, a climate
of tolerance is critical.

14. TYPES OF AUTHORITY
• Rational-legal authority
• Power is legitimized through the election process.

15. TYPES OF AUTHORITY
A Constitution functions as a legal document that states the
rights and privileges of the ruler and the ruled.

16. TYPES OF AUTHORITY
• The bureaucracy helps run the administration of the
government and country. They are appointed, not
elected. They are also impersonal and hierarchical.

17. EXAMPLES
• United States of America
• England
• France
• Germany
• Sweden
• South Africa
• South Korea
• Japan
• Australia
• Taiwan
• Finland
• Maldives
• Turkey

18. EXEMPLARY MODELS OF DEMOCRACY
• Tribal societies
• Native American tribes such as the Iroquois implements
a voting system to elect a chief
• Women have voting rights and could even be elected
as chief
• Small number of members enabled direct democracy to
take place in which each and every member has a say
and vote publicly
• Athens
• One of the first civilization located in Greece that
practiced democracy 2500 years ago
• Each free male above a certain age is eligible to vote
• However, women and slaves had no rights

19. • Postcolonial America
• Founding members of America, George Washington, John
Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Alexander
Hamilton and Benjamin Franklin, invented the representative
democracy
• Wealthy white citizens voted for other wealthy white men to
present them in Washington
• Citizenship, the idea that people have basic rights by virtue
of birth and residence, was a revolutionary change
• Most countries in present day
• Universal citizenship is implemented in which everyone is
given basic rights by virtue of birth and residence regardless
of race, religion, sex, etc.
• Everyone also have the right to vote after a certain age