The democratic regime today is considered to be, if not the only possible, then at least the most progressive and humane state system. However, in the history of world thought there have been many examples of a critical attitude towards democracy.
Instructions
Step 1
Of course, modern structures of state power differ significantly from their predecessor - Athenian democracy - after all, then the right to participate in political life was granted to a limited circle of free men. Nevertheless, such a system took place, as well as criticism addressed to it by the philosopher Plato. In his dialogue "Protagoras", the thinker, through the lips of Socrates, ironically notes that when erecting a building, people turn to the architect, when creating a ship - to the shipbuilder, and only when it comes to government is everyone ready to judge and give advice. In his work "The State" Plato directly calls democracy the least successful system, since the crowd cannot make effective decisions. Aristotle is also in solidarity with his predecessor, who in "Politics" does not appreciate democracy highly. According to the philosopher, it naturally degenerates into "ochlocracy" - the power of the crowd.
Step 2
The United States is rightfully considered the cradle of modern democracy. Its principle is based on the concept of inalienable natural human rights - to life, freedom, property. At the same time, the elective institutions of power were developed. However, all countries have been moving towards universal suffrage for more than one year or even more than one century. So, in America itself, women were able to vote only in 1920, and property and educational qualifications were abolished only in the 70s of the last century. Today, to deny someone the right to vote means to question his human dignity. Often, democracy is understood not as a political regime of one or another effectiveness, but as a level of humanity in society and the value of human rights and freedoms.
Step 3
Conceptually, as an ideal model, democracy is a just structure of a political system in which every person has a chance to vote for a representative of the party that expresses his interests. The fact that existing democracies are far from ideal does not make this model less viable than other regimes. However, elections by themselves will not bring justice as long as the level of legal culture and civic consciousness remains low.
