Theories of Democracy: An Introduction

For nearly twenty centuries, since the passing of the Greek city-states' and Roman Republic's extraordinary experiments in self-government, democracy lay dormant. Though it may be argued that vestiges of it were to be found in some of the governments and assemblies of medieval kingdoms, it was not until around the seventeenth century that democracy was again taken up and seriously examined. Since then, however, it has been inextricably interwoven with the fabric of western civilization. From the radical ideals of the Enlightenment, through the impassioned revolutions of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, up to and beyond the violent destruction of the twentieth century wars which were fought in the sacred defense of this philosophy, democracy could well be called the defining mark of the modern age. What is this great movement which so influences the daily lives of our world?

Democracy has undergone many alterations since its first days in Greece. Whereas the citizens of Athens deliberated on local matters through direct democracy by way of assembling in person in the Ekklesia, this sort of government, obviously, is not feasible for the vast nation-states which comprise our modern world, (Padover, xvii). Rather, the idea of representative democracy has prevailed. In such a system, the mass of the common people is spoken for by a select number of individuals. These individuals, or representatives, being chosen through popular elections, should to some degree reflect the opinions of the populace from which they obtain their legitimacy. In order for this representation to be viewed as being carried out with integrity according to the ideals of democratic government, however, there are certain prerequisites which must be met. Exactly what these requirements are is not always clear. Most political scientists agree that a true democracy should include such traits as political equality, universal participation, and certain rights for all citizens, among others (Janda, et al 36). But what if the ramifications of these policies conflict with one another? It requires little contemplation for one to realize that this system of indirect democracy, especially when undertaken in a nation of many millions of citizens, is subject to much greater complications than a simple direct democracy. In a series of posts, I will examine several theories which seek an answer to the question of how best to conduct a representative democracy. Included will be the points at which these theories conflict, as well as overlap. The basic theories briefly addressed herein are those of majoritarianism, proportionalism, pluralism, and elitism.