DEMOCRACY

Summary

This lecture delves into the concept of democracy, contrasting it with other forms of governance like totalitarianism and authoritarianism. It emphasizes the importance of active participation, transparency, and accountability in a democratic system. The speaker also addresses the challenges faced by democracies, including voter apathy and the complexity of modern politics. The lecture further explores alternative systems and the debate surrounding the merits and drawbacks of democracy, urging citizens to understand and engage with the political process to effect change.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ Democracy is a system where citizens elect representatives to make decisions that affect society, with mechanisms for accountability and questioning of the government.
• 🗳️ Representative or parliamentary democracy involves voting for people who will govern and also for those who will hold the government accountable in a legislative body like Parliament.
• 📊 In South Africa, despite the importance of voting, statistics show that a significant number of young people aged 18 to 25 do not participate in elections, raising questions about their engagement in political change.
• 👥 Citizens are the most vulnerable stakeholders in a democracy, directly affected by government decisions, and their lack of engagement can hinder societal progress.
• 🔒 Totalitarianism and authoritarianism are contrasting systems to democracy, characterized by the absence of political plurality, suppression of opposition, and high levels of control over public and private life.
• 👑 Monarchism and technocracy are alternative forms of government, with the former advocating for rule by a monarch and the latter for decision-making based on technical expertise.
• 🔄 Democracy has evolved over time, with historical examples showing early forms of referendums and the concept of 'government by the people' as articulated by Abraham Lincoln.
• 🌍 Democracy is often associated with prosperity, peace, and lower corruption rates due to its accountability mechanisms, and is considered by many as the best form of government.
• 📋 The core principles of democracy include transparency, accountability, active participation, freedom of speech and association, free and fair elections, and checks and balances.
• 🔄 Referendums are a form of direct democracy where citizens vote on specific issues rather than representatives, as seen in examples like Switzerland and historical moments in South Africa.
• 🔄 Different types of democracies, such as direct and representative democracies, have their own advantages and challenges, with direct democracies offering more citizen participation and representative democracies being more common in modern states.

Q & A

What is the fundamental concept of representative or parliamentary democracy?

Representative or parliamentary democracy is a system where people elect individuals to make decisions on their behalf and to hold the government accountable. It's a form of governance where decisions that affect everyone are made by elected officials who are responsible to the public.

Why is it important for citizens to vote in a democratic society?

Voting is crucial in a democratic society because it allows citizens to have a direct influence on the decisions that affect their lives. It is a means of expressing their opinions and desires for the country's future, and it is a way to hold the government accountable.

What is the concern regarding young people's participation in the voting process in South Africa?

The concern is that a significant number of young people, particularly those aged 18 to 25, are not participating in the voting process. This lack of engagement raises questions about the younger generation's role in spearheading change and influencing political decisions.

What is totalitarianism and how does it differ from democracy?

Totalitarianism is a form of government and political system that prohibits all opposition and exercises a high degree of control over public and private life. It is different from democracy, which is based on the principles of representation, accountability, and the freedom of speech and association.

Can you explain the concept of technocracy in the context of governance?

Technocracy is a form of government where decision-makers are selected based on their expertise in a given area, particularly scientific or technical knowledge. It contrasts with democracy, which is based on the principle of elected representatives making decisions on behalf of the people.

What are the five core key principles of democracy?

The five core principles of democracy are transparency and accountability, active participation, freedom of speech and association, free and fair elections, and checks and balances to prevent the concentration of power.

What is a referendum and how does it function in a democratic process?

A referendum is a direct vote in which citizens are given a two-way choice on a specific issue. It allows the public to vote on policies or laws directly, rather than through elected representatives, and is a way for citizens to have a direct say in governance.

What is the difference between direct democracy and representative democracy?

Direct democracy involves citizens participating directly in decision-making, often through mechanisms like referenda and initiatives. Representative democracy, on the other hand, involves citizens electing representatives who make decisions on their behalf.

Why are some countries considered to be practicing anti-democracy?

Countries are considered to be practicing anti-democracy when they actively work against democratic principles such as representation, accountability, and the freedom of speech. These countries often have oppressive regimes that centralize power and suppress opposition.

What are some of the challenges faced by modern democracies?

Modern democracies face challenges such as the complexity of politics making it difficult for individuals to make meaningful choices, the potential for democratic transitions to lead to instability or violence, and the risk of political competition being dominated by tribal or ethnic groups rather than policy issues.

What is the importance of debating the merits and drawbacks of democracy?

Debating the merits and drawbacks of democracy is important as it allows for a deeper understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of democratic systems. It also encourages the exploration of alternative forms of governance and the discussion of how to improve democratic processes to better serve society.

Outlines

00:00

🏛️ Understanding Democracy and Its Importance

This paragraph introduces the concept of democracy, emphasizing its significance in organizing society and the role of elected officials in shaping decisions that affect everyone. It highlights the importance of voting in a representative democracy and the accountability of government through parliamentary mechanisms. The script also discusses the difference between direct and indirect democracy and encourages introspection on the importance of voting, especially among the younger generation. It ends by stressing the responsibility of citizens in a democracy and the potential consequences of non-engagement.

05:01

👥 Forms of Government and Democracy's Historical Context

The second paragraph delves into various forms of government, including totalitarianism, authoritarianism, and monarchism, providing brief descriptions of each. It encourages further research into different monarchies and democracies around the world, with a specific call to understand the Zulu monarchy in South Africa. The paragraph also touches on concepts like elitism, autocracy, technocracy, and the historical evolution of democracy, including references to ancient practices and figures like Abraham Lincoln.

10:01

🌟 Democracy's Triumph and Core Principles

This section celebrates democracy as a victorious form of governance, noting its association with wealth, peace, and reduced corruption. It underscores the importance of democracy in allowing people to express themselves and shape their futures. The paragraph outlines the historical significance of the phrase 'government of the people, by the people, for the people' and mentions the core principles of democracy, such as transparency, accountability, active participation, freedom of speech and association, free and fair elections, and checks and balances.

15:06

🗳️ Referendums and Types of Democracies

The fourth paragraph explains the concept of a referendum, providing examples from Cuba and the UK, and discussing its role in direct democracies. It contrasts direct democracy with representative democracy, where citizens vote for representatives to make decisions on their behalf. The paragraph also introduces different theories of representation and various voting systems, each with its own implications for minority representation and majority rule.

20:09

🛑 Challenges and Debates Surrounding Democracy

The fifth paragraph addresses the challenges faced by representative democracies and the complexity of modern politics, which may limit the meaningful choices available to individuals. It acknowledges the potential dangers of democratic transitions in countries not prepared for the shift, including the risk of violence and oppression. The paragraph invites a debate on the merits and drawbacks of democracy and the possibility of alternative governance systems.

25:09

🌍 Anti-Democracy Movements and Their Impact

This paragraph discusses the rise of anti-democratic sentiments, particularly from global powers like Russia and China, which view democracy as a threat to their regimes. It highlights the strategies used by these nations to undermine democracy and mentions countries considered the least free according to a democratic index. The paragraph calls for an understanding of these nations' struggles to defend democracy effectively.

30:10

📚 Conclusion and Invitation to Further Inquiry

In conclusion, the final paragraph reiterates the importance of understanding the complexities of democracy and the need for further research into alternative systems of government. It acknowledges the potential pitfalls of democratic systems and invites questions and discussions on the topic. The lecture ends with an open invitation for questions, emphasizing the importance of continued learning and debate on the subject of democracy.

Keywords

💡Representative Democracy

Representative democracy is a form of government in which citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf. It is central to the video's theme as it discusses the importance of voting and holding the government accountable. The script mentions that in a representative democracy, citizens have the power to elect and question their government, exemplifying this concept with the role of Parliament.

💡Accountability

Accountability in the context of the video refers to the responsibility of elected officials to be transparent and answerable for their actions to the public. It is a key principle of democracy that ensures trust and fairness in governance. The script underscores the importance of accountability by discussing how elected officials are held to account in Parliament.

💡Direct Democracy

Direct democracy is a system where citizens participate directly in the decision-making process, often through referenda or initiatives. It contrasts with representative democracy and is part of the broader discussion on the types of democracies. The script briefly introduces direct democracy and distinguishes it from the more common indirect or representative form.

💡Political Participation

Political participation is the involvement of citizens in the political process, such as voting or engaging in political discussions. The video emphasizes the importance of active participation, especially among younger generations, to influence government decisions and bring about societal change. The script raises concerns about the low voter turnout among young people and challenges them to engage more actively.

💡State Capture

State capture refers to a situation where the government is influenced or controlled by private interests, often leading to corruption. In the video, state capture is used as an example to illustrate the importance of transparency and accountability in a democracy. The script mentions the state capture inquiry in South Africa as a case where accountability mechanisms are put to the test.

💡Totalitarianism

Totalitarianism is a political system characterized by strict control over public and private life, with no opposition allowed. The video contrasts this with democracy, highlighting the freedoms and rights that are often suppressed under totalitarian regimes. The script uses North Korea as an example of a totalitarian state.

💡Authoritarianism

Authoritarianism is a political system where power is concentrated in the hands of a few, often a single ruler or party, with limited political freedoms and often no genuine opposition. The video discusses authoritarianism as an alternative to democracy, noting its centralization of power and reduction of political plurality. Examples such as Russia and China are cited in the script.

💡Monarchism

Monarchism is the advocacy of a system where a monarch, such as a king or queen, holds power. The video touches on this concept as a form of government distinct from democracy, where the monarch's rule can be supported by individuals known as monarchists. The script encourages understanding different monarchies, including the Zulu monarchy in South Africa.

💡Technocracy

Technocracy is a form of government where decision-makers are selected based on their expertise in a specific area, particularly scientific or technical knowledge. The video introduces this concept as an alternative to traditional forms of governance, suggesting that experts in fields like health could lead respective government departments. The script presents technocracy as a system that values specialized knowledge in governance.

💡Referendum

A referendum is a direct vote in which the entire electorate is invited to vote on a specific proposal, law, or issue. The video discusses referendums as a tool for direct democracy, allowing citizens to make decisions on specific matters. Examples from Cuba and the UK are provided in the script, illustrating how referendums can be used to decide on significant constitutional changes.

Highlights

Definition of governance and its impact on society in a democratic context.

Explanation of representative or parliamentary democracy and its role in holding the government accountable.

Introduction to direct and indirect democracy and their distinctions.

The importance of voter participation, especially among the youth, in shaping political change.

Analysis of why young people may not engage in voting and the implications for democracy.

The role of citizens as stakeholders in a democracy and the consequences of non-engagement.

Definitions and comparisons of totalitarianism, authoritarianism, and monarchism as contrasting systems to democracy.

Insight into the importance of understanding different forms of monarchies beyond the traditional concept.

Discussion on the concept of oligarchy and its characteristics in terms of power distribution.

Description of technocracy as a form of government based on expertise in scientific or technical knowledge.

Historical context of democracy, from ancient practices to the influence of Abraham Lincoln's definition.

South Africa's transition from a pseudo-democracy to a true democracy in 1994 and its significance.

The core principles of democracy, including transparency, accountability, active participation, and freedom of speech and association.

The advantages of democracy in terms of wealth, peace, and corruption control due to its accountability mechanisms.

Different types of voting systems and their implications for representation and majority rule.

Debates on the merits and drawbacks of democracy, including its complexity and potential for political competition.

The concept of anti-democracy and the strategies used by oppressive regimes to undermine democratic processes.

Examples of countries with the least freedom and the challenges they face in the context of democracy.

Importance of understanding both the strengths and weaknesses of democracies for effective debate and defense of democratic values.

Transcripts

understand the definition first

the people who govern a country make

decisions about how Society is organized

decisions that affect everyone it is an

election of the people who govern us we

also elect people to question the

government and hold them to account on

our behalf in Parliament this is called

representative or parliamentary

democracy

right fairly simple to understand the

last line here is

um

um what we are going to understand

further on in this lecture where it says

this is called representative or

parliamentary democracy there's two

types of a democracy that is a direct

and an indirect democracy but I'm going

to discuss that with you now remember we

have a very important decision we have a

very important opportunity rather to to

make a decision as to who we want to

vote for in any political election as

South Africans

let's look at that context because

that's obviously closer to home and we

understand exactly what happens in our

country in our families etc etc etc

right so

we have this opportunity that is to now

go and cast our vote and to sort of make

this difference that is so

um

that is

um so fantasized about they've been

fantasizing about it pre

-democracy in in our country

and in many other countries around the

world who do not exist in a democracy

they are just like listen we want that

opportunity to cast our vote but when we

actually look at the voting statistics

of our country

we see that

a vast majority of our country

especially young people aged 18 to 25.

we do not

we do not vote right

and that begs the question is why

exactly

are these groups of people the supposed

newer generation who is supposed to be

spearheading change within the nation

why aren't they so infested into making

this political change or

if not a political change keeping

government as it is there's just like no

no engagement whatsoever in that severe

why is that that's something that you

need to understand you need to

introspect and think now okay why would

I not want to vote what exactly

or what exactly could be standing in my

way as a voter and things like that all

of those are important for you to

understand because we as Citizens are

essentially

the most vulnerable stakeholder within

our democracy because we are the people

who are directly affected by whatever

decision

decisions this government is going to

make about us

and

it becomes a problem when we don't

engage in these procedures because it's

just like

how do you expect anything to to change

if you

are not putting in a minimal effort to

even

um try to push the change into

um

the direction under which you are

following

because if we don't

it means that basically everything is

going to stay the same

or our opinions our perspectives

everything that we stand for in society

everything that we want for our country

are essentially not going to be achieved

some more definitions right so

totalitarianism is a form of government

and a political system that prohibits

all opposition policies Outlaws

individual and group oppositions to the

state and its claims and exercise is an

extremely high if not complete degree of

control and regulation over public and

private life

right for this totalitarian state I need

you to go and read up on North Korea and

what exactly it means to live in a

country like that watch a YouTube video

about

um citizens of North Korea who have

managed to to escape

that country

authoritarianism is a political system

characterized by the rejection of of

political plurality sorry

the use of strong central power to

preserve the political status quo and

reductions in the rule of law separation

of powers and Democratic voting

right so this is a source of system in

which you have a political party but

there is sort of no

um standing opposition because this

political party exits exerts sorry so

much of control over the nation right

we see this in examples such as Russia

such as China not so much China but more

more um Putin in his state monoxism is

the advocacy of a system and monarchy or

monarchial rule a monarchist is an

individual who supports this form of

government independently of any specific

Monarch whereas one who supports a

particular monarchy as a royalist right

don't worry about what's a royal list

but I need you to not only something

that I see with debases a lot is that

they don't have any

um general knowledge about other

monarchies other than the queen right

you need to also understand other

democracies that exist in Asia in the

African

um continent

right and more specifically in the

Middle East even and more specifically

in South Africa you need to know about

the Zulu monarchy we're living in kzn

right you are doing yourself a great

disservice if you don't

um do some research and understand the

Zulu monarchy that we

um that is essentially all around us

right

is a conceptual form of power structure

in which power is with a small number of

people right this is sort of like

elitism these people may or may not be

distinguished by one or several

characteristics such as nobility Fame

wealth education or corporate religious

political or military control right

autocracy is a system of government in

which absolute power is held by the

ruler known as an ostercraft

it includes most forms of monarchy and

dictatorship while it is contrasted with

the Democracy with democracy and

feudalism

technocracy is a form of government

technocracy is more of a concept right

foreign of government in which

um

decision makers are selected on the

expertise in a given area of

responsibility particularly with regard

to Scientific or technical knowledge

that's for example having a department

of Health

um

Minister sorry the word wasn't coming to

me a minister of the Department of

Health who is maybe a doctor who is

maybe a nurse

someone who is at the top of their field

in science who probably knows the most

about their field as opposed to the

government our elected government now

having a cabinet they reshuffle based on

leadership ability this one is now

focused on

um

the skill of the person who is meant to

lead that specific portion of government

right but let's understand what's the

difference between

autocracy

and

plus meaning

people and Kratos meaning power

and therefore the most Kratos became a

power of the people power to the people

so they decided 2 500 years ago then

listen

they we are going to make a new law now

but how are we going to decide whether

this is the best way forward for our

state

let's all put it to a vote and decide as

to whether this now is going to this new

legislation it was like a very

primordial form of a referendum but

we'll call it the referendum for my

explanation sake

so they they had to decide whether this

referendum was going to pass or fill and

this was how they decided

um whether that specific

um law policy or whatever passed right

that was the first historical

um tracking back to where it came from

then in 1863 we're seeing that Abraham

Lincoln is

writing the bandwagon on the

democracy concept ways where he coins

the phrase

government of the People by the people

for the people

and you must understand that anything

that is supposed by the United States

sort of spearheads it in the

International Space

so that became a very influential point

in the concept of democracy

looking more specifically at South

Africa we see that after 1910

we see that we have this sort of

pseudo-democracy in South Africa where

only white South Africans are

responsible for electing a political

party

um to to run the nation I believe it was

the Nationalist policy I think it was

and

um

at that time in 1910 and then they had

consecutive rules up until the beginning

of

the true democracy which began in 1994

where we see

the first opportunity of everyone to

have an equal

rights to now go and vote for who is

going to now run our country

why exactly is democracy

heralded as such an important concept

firstly it's easy to understand why

right you shouldn't think too hard about

it democracies are on average richer

than non-democracies right they are less

likely to go to war and they have a

better record of fighting corruption

because of this accountability mechanism

that I'll speak about earlier but more

fundamentally democracy lets people

speak their minds and shape their own

future

in addition to the children's Futures as

well

so many people in so many different

parts of the world are prepared to risk

everything that they have

for this idea that is testimony

to its enduring appeal

foreign

representatives of more than 100

countries gathered in the world Forum of

democracy in Warsaw to Proclaim that the

will of the people was the basis of the

authority of government right a report

issued by America's State Department

declared that having seen of universal

Commerce failed experiments with

authoritarian and totalitarian forms of

government it seems that

now at long last democracy is the is

triumphant

so this sort of became the

in solution to all of the poor political

um

sorry all of the poor mechanism

mechanisms under which countries were

controlled this became

the most powerful mechanism right

so there's five core key principles for

for democracy

I'm not going to go through them in

order right but I'm going to speak to

speak about

um

a few of them more specifically

the first one here is transparency

and accountability right so those two

words go hand in hand I'm going to speak

a lot now so you you should be taking

notes at this time

transparency basically means that at

every level there is some sort of

oversight and everyone is answerable to

someone

if not the whole nation

so

we see that

accountability and transparency becomes

an asset to democracy because it allows

for

everyone

to to to have an active

um

an active and involved oversight into

what is running

what is happening sorry in the country

look at the state capture inquiry for

example right look at the

other countries around the world and how

they hold their political leaders

accountable and sometimes it's not even

as dramatic as as having a state capture

inquiry it's just the facts of listen

I'm on a public platform as a political

figure there is little to no opportunity

for me to do anything wrong because I am

being watched so closely

although that is an idealistic concept

um in our status quo

a lot of countries around the world

follow that that mechanism of integrity

well they own Integrity firstly but

secondly

it's because the people in the the

countries watch them very closely to see

now listen

is this person fit to governess govern

us or not right

and they are allowed to monitor them

through that uh that window of

transparency that democracy promotes

when we look at

um active participation right this is

obviously the most basic but maybe the

most important principle of democracy

it's so crucial because it it

underpins the other two principles

because it is the basis of democracy the

other uh four principles sorry

participation means that unless there is

a very good reason everyone deserves a

vote and all votes should have equal

weight

right

then

freedom of speech and Association

different views

can be aired so we're saying that in a

democracy we value different

perspectives we value

we value your input because in order for

us to have a successful Nation it means

that everyone should be able to be heard

and everyone should have

um

should use their voice to to contribute

positively to the country and to the

running of the country

different views can be aired and

political parties or groups can form

and compete openly

because of this freedom of speech as

well it allows us to now

um form

and Associate this word association

to allows us to associate inform

political parties that we sort of

identify with

so it the freedom of speech Concepts

leads to the sort of Freedom uh leads to

the freedom of Association concept

because it's just like okay if I'm

allowed to Now voice my opinions and

make it clear

that

sorry if I'm allowed to voice my

opinions

and make it clear what I stand for and

what's my perspectives I can then go on

and find a political party and choose to

associate with a political party whose

virtues align with what I stand for as a

person and then I can go and say listen

I support this political party I'm going

to vote for them

in the upcoming elections right the next

one is

free and fair elections

when they say fair it's very similarly

to what I spoke about earlier for active

participation

everyone's vote should have equal weight

right that is one of the main purposes

of democracy I am one person so I should

have one vote people can vote for who

they want and they can trust the outcome

of the elections by by having this

process right

and then finally I think we have

discussed everything else finally checks

and balances right this is the concept

of preventing

one person and one group has no power so

by ensuring that

excuse me there is this distribution of

power

um amongst all of these political

parties because now it's not listen we

definitely know that we're going to be

in power so there's no use changing

status quo at all

by having a vast range of competitors to

be um electoral race

it means that this sort of becomes

um

a mechanism to ensure that

there is no one person

and one group who has all of the Power

right

let's quickly understand what's a

referendum right

so the first concepts of a well not the

first concept but

some concepts of of um referenda and I

think the most

recent one was in um Cuba earlier this

year I think it was last year where

they had a referendum where everyone in

the population had to vote or had the

opportunity to vote on passing a new law

about whether they want to approve

um certain changes

within the country's um social landscape

so for example it was about same-sex

marriage it was about surrogate

pregnancies grandparents rights and uh

most stringent

um measures against gender gender

violence right so everyone in the

country got up that morning and they

were just like no listen I'm going to

vote on this policy I either stand for

it or I don't stand for it right

and then this was the response

more than 3.9 million voters 69.9

percent voted to ratify the new code

while 1.95 million or 33 percent

were opposed National electoral council

president Alina

basilero quitares I think I'm saying

that right said on stage run television

on Monday right

so that's

um that referendum passed for that

country right

so referendums are ballots in which

people are given a two-day choice on a

specific issue two-way choice on a

specific issue sorry in the UK

referendums tend to be used only to

decide an important constitutional

methods such as the two in 2014

referendum in Scotland without about

leaving the UK right in a South African

context a referendum was held in 1992

which allowed white South Africans to

vote on whether or not they agreed with

FW de klerks dance to end apartheid

right this referendum in South Africa

passed as well right but what are the

advantages and disadvantages two

different types of democracies the first

type is a direct democracy what's called

a pure democracy

um forms of direct participation of

citizens in Democratic decision making

direct democracies May operate through

an assembly of citizens or by means of

referenda and initiatives in which

citizens vote on issues instead of

candidates or parties

now this is the system that they use in

Switzerland and we see that the the

Democratic I think that this is called

the Democratic

index they rank very highly on the

Democratic index achieving a 96 score

with political rights ranking as a 39

out of 40 and civil liberties ranking as

a 57 out of 60. right

obviously this is not uh necessarily the

gold standard in measuring whether a

democracy is effective or not but

Switzerland's success in achieving these

two concepts mean that it's essentially

working for them and it has the

potential to work for other countries

around the world

but what's a representative democracy

it's a political system in which

citizens of a country or other political

entities vote for representatives to

handle legislature legislative

legislature I think it's supposed to say

and

otherwise rule that

an otherwise rule that entity on their

behalf the elected representatives are

in turn accountable to the electorates

for their actions as a form of democracy

representative democracy exists in

contrast to direct democracy in which

all citizens directly vote on laws to be

passed and other issues most modern

democracies are representative

democracies and as such they face many

challenges

right so

uh

this the information that I've taken

here is directly from the uh Britannica

encyclopedia so

on the PDF you can click directly on

these links to see what all of these

different concepts mean

there's three different types of

represent representative governments

right we exist

okay I'll I'll cover that after I go

through the theories the first theory is

delegate Theory there's little room for

the elected's personal beliefs and it's

run by the Judgment of the people right

delegate meaning someone who is

um

to delegate the English word means that

I'm giving someone the responsibility to

do something that basically means that

no you you are not allowed to

incorporate your viewpoints your

personal beliefs here you are just a

proxy for whatever we stand for and you

will say whatever we say whatever we say

right

secondly mandate Theory the elected

carry out a preconceived mandate or a

Manifesto that the public would have

elected

that's that's the that's what we that's

the Democracy that we exist in so we see

that we see political figures standing

in stadiums delivering their manifestos

with thousands and thousands of

supporters

but the problem with manifestos is that

we might not necessarily believe in

everything that is written in that

Manifesto maybe the majority of what's

written in that Manifesto if not

believing in a political party for other

reasons

and

that is why we value referendums or

referenda because it's just like if we

have an opportunity to vote on specific

issues as opposed to one political party

who has a set standpoint on everything

according to mandate Theory that's what

mandate Theory tells us

it's obviously more favorable to have a

direct democracy in that case

and then you have berkian Theory

requires the elected to use their

judgment and beliefs to run the country

right

that's self-explanatory but it also

sounds very problematic you can go and

do your research as to why that is

now there's five different types of

voting systems I'm just going to read

through this slide because it's very

self-explanatory

the first one on the

top left hand side here first past the

post system allows voters to cast one

local vote with the most votes

determining the elected however small

parties and minority groups can often be

underrepresented

supplementary vote is used in mayoral

elections voters indicate first and

second preferences If no candidate wins

the majority the two candidates with the

highest number of votes are retained

the other candidates are eliminated and

the second choice candidates are counted

to choose the winner this is likely to

lead to majority government however

parties are not awarded

their share of votes in these types of

voting systems

a closed list system is used in European

Parliament and requires voters to choose

a party of their choice while parties

represent lists of candidates to be

allocated according to their share of a

vote

this system is likely to produce

coalitions this will likely greatly

include minorities but is more

complicated right you need to go and

understand why the system is more

complicated it's a very interesting

system the closed list system but you

need to understand

foreign

it's a very interesting system to use

but you need to understand why is it so

complicated to Institute

itself it does sound messy based on what

I've said but you need to understand why

then single transferable vote is when a

number of seats are available in each

district and voters select from a formal

list of candidates in order of

preference seats are assigned as soon as

a candidate receives a quota a certain

number of votes and votes can be

reassigned to reduce wasted votes

seats are essentially equal to votes in

the system but it is more complicated

the additional member system allows

voters to elect a local constituency

member and indicate their party Choice

resulting in a hybrid system that

include increases coalition

likelihood we don't really see a lot of

additional members

right so we've understood what

um democracy is so let's go into like

the sort of opposite of what democracy

is this concept of

anti-democracy it's not the opposite per

se but most basically that is the best

way for me to describe it right

historically while the United States and

all of the other Democratic Powers were

worrying about what was happening within

their own countries and looking at

developing policy

the world's leading or secrecies that is

Russia and China

continued to push their own agenda right

Russia and China are single-minded

in their understanding of what a

democracy is and they think that this

democracy is a threat to the oppressive

regimes so they their own agendas

and therefore they work

they actively work against this concept

of democracy right

and as time has gone on we've seen

increasing

um and differentiated ideas

sophisticated ideas to undermine exactly

what democracy is and to um sort of

pokehold in the concept of democracy

right

list alongside of um some countries who

are considered the least free according

to the same Democratic index that I've

mentioned to you earlier

right so these are the countries

and the sort of reasons why

um these countries uh

far from a democracy so you need to

understand

these

um

these nations and the things that

they've suffered from and what does it

mean

to to them

sorry I just got a message yeah so I was

saying um you need to understand that

this that these are some of the Nations

that are actually the most affected by

uh dictators and autocrats and things

like that

and you need to see exactly what is

status quo in these countries and you

need to understand these nations because

in order for you to defend democracy you

will use these as examples within your

cases

all right

now let's go into some of the debating

stuff so why exactly would this be

chosen as a motion firstly we know that

it's a controversial issue and it's also

very complex as I've mentioned to you

while it's easy to understand the

logistics behind a democratic state are

not easy to put the puzzle pieces

together not necessarily right while

many people believe that democracy is

the best form of government others argue

that there are significant limitations

and flaws to this process this these

debate motions usually invite discussion

on a variety of topics including the

strengths and weaknesses of democratic

systems the importance of representation

the role of political institutions and

the challenges of balancing individual

rights with social welfare these debates

will also

would also allow for the exploration of

alternative systems of government such

as authoritarianism totalitarianism and

anoxism anarchism I haven't discussed

during this lecture but you should go

and read up on it as well right

and then there's just some examples of

um emotions that you could get that you

can

started reading up on

just for your own information

right so let's look at some of the

importances of government of democracies

right firstly a country should be

governed by Representatives chosen by

every member of society who are

answerable to and removable by the

people right that's the main concept of

this first bubble secondly modern

democracies should be made more truly

Democratic and this is happening to

contain these problems for example South

Africa

yeah some detriments the importance is

in detriments that I've listed here are

taken from a textbook right so you can

decide whether you agree or you disagree

with these Concepts and you

um will need to summarize it

and understand these points before you

use it in any debates obviously all of

us are open to any questions that you

have regarding these uh Concepts right

the first point under the detriments of

democracy modern politics is simply too

complex for democracy to offer any

meaningful choice to individuals we do

not select stances on individual issues

but pick from a predetermined bundle of

choices offered by a candy party or

candidate

which means we exercise almost no choice

over any given policy all right that's

obviously besides a direct democracy but

yes it's a fair point right

the next bubble on a more practical

level Democratic transitions are often

not a good idea for countries that

currently have an alternative system of

government democracy explodes political

competition and it may be that Society

is simply not ready for it

we're Society we're institutions like

the police and courts are weak violence

means you're like the uncomposed six

Ocampo six I'm sorry who were indicated

in

indicted in 2011 by the ICC over

electoral violence in Kenya represent

the worst excesses of this

tendency right in addition

where political parties in the media are

weak politicians turn to tribal ethnic

groups which can spiral into violence

and oppression for instance what

happened in Malaysia which is democratic

in a formal sense but still usually

oppresses minorities

all right so thank you all for your time

and

um I hope that you

enjoyed this lecture and we are all open

to questions if you have any