Like 'socialism' or 'secularism', democracy also meant different things to different people. Literally, The Greek word 'demos' meant 'the people' and 'kratos' means 'government' or 'rule.' Democracy, therefore, meant government by the people as against monarchy or dictatorship which were autocratic rule of one person, oligarchy or aristocracy being rule by the few. Its basic postulated are that the sovereign power resides in the people, that irrespective of the level of religion, caste, creed, colour or sex and irrespective of the level of economic, educational or professional background, all are equal in the eye of law and that each individual is capable of governing oneself and of managing one's own affairs the way one deems fit. In a democracy the people are supposed to be their own masters. They have an inalienable right to rule themselves, or to be ruled in the way they like and by the people they choose.
Democracy also recognises the fact that that from time immemorial human beings have been fighting with each other for power or for supremacy. Democracy tries to substitute a more civilised manner of fighting. It is substitution of the methods of discussion and persuasion for methods of armed conflict. The ballot substitutes the bullet; we sit together, we talk and we discuss. We try to persuade each other and win each other by force of our conviction, ideas and arguments.
In the ancient Indian village Republics and the Greek City States, all the citizens assembled together and decided issues of governance. People, thus, exercises their power directly in deciding matters of State and this kind of polity could be called direct popular democracy. In this case, both legal and political sovereignty could be said to vest in the people. But with the gradual increase in the size and population of the political units and ultimately with the advent of the modern nation-states, it became impossible to arrange for all the people to assemble at a place to discuss matters of State and arrive at decisions smoothly. Also, matters of legislation and State administration grew more and more complex. All forms of direct democracy, therefore, soon became practically extinct from all over the world except for a few Swiss cantons where even issues whether schools should remain closed on Thursday or the price of bread should be increased and the like are still decided by a popular vote. There may be a few referenda on very major international issues in some places. Also, there have been provisions in the Constitutions of some countries (e.g. France, Ireland, Japan, and Switzerland) whereunder referendum is provided for constitutional amendments. But, by and large, the only issue on which the people at large in different countries vote these days at periodic intervals is selection of their representatives. Modern democracy thus has of necessity to be indirect representative democracy whereunder government is carried on and laws are made by the elected representatives of the people.
Thus, while democratic polity becomes one of the basic features of our Constitution which cannot be altered by any constitutional amendment; there are many variants of democracy which can be considered equally representative and legitimate.
We have adopted what is called representative parliamentary democracy. The founding fathers tried to provide for the fullest representation by enfranchising all the vast adult population of the country without any literacy, property, income tax or sex criteria. This is borne out by the provisions for universal adult franchise with all adults –men and women-of 18 years and above having the right to vote (Article 326) and the executive being responsible to the popular house of the legislature [Article 75 (3) and 164 (2)].
Democracy also recognises the fact that that from time immemorial human beings have been fighting with each other for power or for supremacy. Democracy tries to substitute a more civilised manner of fighting. It is substitution of the methods of discussion and persuasion for methods of armed conflict. The ballot substitutes the bullet; we sit together, we talk and we discuss. We try to persuade each other and win each other by force of our conviction, ideas and arguments.
In the ancient Indian village Republics and the Greek City States, all the citizens assembled together and decided issues of governance. People, thus, exercises their power directly in deciding matters of State and this kind of polity could be called direct popular democracy. In this case, both legal and political sovereignty could be said to vest in the people. But with the gradual increase in the size and population of the political units and ultimately with the advent of the modern nation-states, it became impossible to arrange for all the people to assemble at a place to discuss matters of State and arrive at decisions smoothly. Also, matters of legislation and State administration grew more and more complex. All forms of direct democracy, therefore, soon became practically extinct from all over the world except for a few Swiss cantons where even issues whether schools should remain closed on Thursday or the price of bread should be increased and the like are still decided by a popular vote. There may be a few referenda on very major international issues in some places. Also, there have been provisions in the Constitutions of some countries (e.g. France, Ireland, Japan, and Switzerland) whereunder referendum is provided for constitutional amendments. But, by and large, the only issue on which the people at large in different countries vote these days at periodic intervals is selection of their representatives. Modern democracy thus has of necessity to be indirect representative democracy whereunder government is carried on and laws are made by the elected representatives of the people.
Thus, while democratic polity becomes one of the basic features of our Constitution which cannot be altered by any constitutional amendment; there are many variants of democracy which can be considered equally representative and legitimate.
We have adopted what is called representative parliamentary democracy. The founding fathers tried to provide for the fullest representation by enfranchising all the vast adult population of the country without any literacy, property, income tax or sex criteria. This is borne out by the provisions for universal adult franchise with all adults –men and women-of 18 years and above having the right to vote (Article 326) and the executive being responsible to the popular house of the legislature [Article 75 (3) and 164 (2)].
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