Redefining Democracy

• Democracy is a form of government in which the rulers are elected by the people. We then looked at many cases and expanded the definition slightly to add some qualifications.
• The rulers elected by the people must take all the major decisions.
• Elections must offer a choice and fair opportunity to the people to change the current rulers.

This choice and opportunity should be available to all the people on an equal basis; and

• The exercise of this choice must lead to a government limited by basic rules of the constitution and citizens' rights.
• But in operational terms, we deliberately started with a minimalist but clear definition of democracy. It allowed us to make a clear distinction between democratic and non-democratic regimes various aspects of democratic government and politics.

ROLE AN ORDINARY CITIZEN CAN PLAY IN DEEPENING DEMOCRACY:

• No democracy can function in the absence of enlightened and informed citizens because they are the pillars of democracy. Citizens maintain a balance between the government and public issues.
• The socially responsible citizens act with a sense of discipline and responsibility. They try to channelize the democratic system by airing their grievances.
• Well informed and enlightened citizens form a healthy public opinion which puts a check on the unresponsive government and it policies.
• Socially responsible citizens also help in the regulation of social reforms and can put a check on rash and unsocial conduct.
• Hence, the strength of democracy lies in respecting the mind power of its citizens and in creating an atmosphere of fair and frank interaction of thought, approaches and perspectives for solving collective problems and building a polity of free and equal beings.