Theories of Democracy: Conclusion

Democratic government has never come easily. Sacrifice, often to the point of shedding blood, is the standard of its inception by fire. When one considers the history of democracy, and of the people who have ensured its continued existence, it seems the modern man's task, of implementing from the variety of known democratic theories, is a comparatively easy one. But in truth, it is a most daunting task, the results of which can indeed decide the fate of democracy in relation to a given people. As these posts have demonstrated, the differing systems of majoritarianism, proportionalism, pluralism, and elitism all maintain respective strengths and weaknesses. Where they are most or least likely to offer the best opportunity for freedom and good government to the people is dependent on various factors, such as history and culture, the education and size of the populace, the centralization of the government, etc. It is unrealistic and unwise to expect that a single, static form of democratic government can best serve the needs of our diverse world at this point in history, or for any time in the foreseeable future. In the meantime, it is vital that these systems be studied and understood by all peoples who desire the freedom of democracy. For just as surely as their right implementation can mean the realization of that freedom, their misplacement can entail anarchy and despotism.