The practical core of democracy, defined functionally, is the peaceful exchange of power between different groups of powerful political players arranged in parties.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Democracy is a daring concept - a hope that we'll be best governed if all of us participate in the act of government. It is meant to be a conversation, a place where the intelligence and local knowledge of the electorate sums together to arrive at actions that reflect the participation of the largest possible number of people.
Democracy is the only system capable of reflecting the humanist premise of equilibrium or balance. The key to its secret is the involvement of the citizen.
Democracy is not simply a question of structures. It is a state of mind. It is an activity. And part of that activity is honesty.
A pure democracy is a society consisting of a small number of citizens, who assemble and administer the government in person.
Democracy is an imperfect way of steering between the violence of anarchy and the violence of tyranny, with the least violence you can get away with.
Democracy, pure democracy, has at least its foundation in a generous theory of human rights. It is founded on the natural equality of mankind. It is the cornerstone of the Christian religion. It is the first element of all lawful government upon earth.
In a democracy there is a centralization of governmental power in a simple majority.
Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.
The essence of democracy is its assurance that every human being should so respect himself and should be so respected in his own personality that he should have opportunity equal to that of every other human being to show what he was meant to become.
The principle of democracy is all about delegation of power by the vast majority of citizens through a few chosen representatives chosen on merit and competence.