Liberal Democracy And The Constitutional System - 2526 Words

Liberal democracy is a form of government that operates under a constitutional system and is ruled by the electorate. The government is representative of the people and regular elections are held. It calls for the freedoms that are stated in America’s first amendment-freedom of press, speech, religion, and assembly. This political ideology has been apart of history. Patriots, such as our founding fathers and Patrick Henry, were willing to risk their lives in order to achieve freedom from an oppressive monarchial government. They risked everything in order to have a shot at individual freedoms and basic human rights such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The most important claims of liberal democracy are a representative government, a limited government, the separation of powers, and property rights. These claims will be assessed from a biblical perspective (and further expounded upon). A representative government is a key aspect of liberal democracy. Since the po wer to elect a leader to a political office rests with the people, those in office have an obligation to honor those voices accurately. An active and responsive government body can be very productive. Not only will it create a strong nation, but citizens have the potential to be highly satisfied with their work. Anarchy is less likely to occur. The Bible discusses the process of starting a representative government in Deuteronomy 1. In Deuteronomy 1:13-17 (NRSV) it says, â€Å" ‘Choose for each of yourShow MoreRelated The Rise of Universal Liberal Values? Essay1125 Words   |  5 PagesThe Rise of Universal Liberal Values? Democracy is one thing, and constitutional liberalism quite another. In the inexorable march of modernity, Fareed Zakaria argues in The Rise of Illiberal Democracy, the message of constitutional liberalism has gotten lost in the clamor for democracy. This is problematic because, without a strong foundation of pluralism and constitutional liberalism, the apparatus of democracy can easily be hijacked by forces that hardly espouse the liberal values that have, inRead MoreDifferences Between the Political and Value Based Definitions of Democracy1318 Words   |  5 Pagesstates the difference between a democracy as a political definition and one as values. Democracy first begins its definition during the time of the Herodotus democracy. It has grown to become associated as a liberal democracy, although originally it is a form of ruling by the people. According to Samuel P. Huntington, â€Å"Democracy is one public virtue, not the only one, and the relation of democracy to other publi c virtues and vices can only be understood if democracy is clearly distinguished rom otherRead MoreAnalysis Of Fareed Zakaria s The Rise Of Illiberal Democracy1330 Words   |  6 Pages Fareed Zakaria’s The Rise of Illiberal Democracy is an article discussing his point of view about illiberal and liberal democracies. He explains how democracy is now simply viewed together with liberalism altogether and how they went hand in hand with the writing of our constitution. This article informs you about how the mix of liberalism and democracy seems to have affected the Civil Rights Movement. He also explains how illiberal democracy can lead to civil war and genocide. With the CivilRead MoreAn American Diplomat Richard Holbrooke1143 Words   |  5 Pageselected through regimes are often times the ones that have been reelected or reaffirmed through referenda, are ignoring the constitutional limits on their power and denying their citizens of essential rights and freedoms. It w asn’t easy to bring attention to this problem because for almost a century, democracy has meant liberal democracy in the West. Which was a political system marked not only by free and fair elections but by the rule of law as well, a separation of powers and the protections of basicRead MoreAnalysis Of Fareed Zakaria s The Rise Of Illiberal Democracy1353 Words   |  6 Pages Fareed Zakaria’s The Rise of Illiberal Democracy is an article discussing his point of view about illiberal and liberal democracies. He explains how democracy is now simply viewed together with liberalism altogether and how they went hand in hand with the writing of our constitution. This article informs you about how the mix of liberalism and democracy seems to have affected the Civil Rights Movement. He informs the reader about how illiberal democracy can lead to disputes, and disagreements whichRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement Of Fareed Zakaria s The Rise Of Illiberal Democracy 1548 Words à ‚  |  7 PagesIlliberal Democracy† details his view on elected governments and the ignorance and abuse of their power. He claims that they do not use their powers in the right way and instead deny basic civil rights and liberties. Democracy can be defined numerous ways in different countries. In Zakaria’s definition, to paraphrase, a democracy is viewed as a process of selecting government and is to always mean the rule of the people. In my opinion this definition is very true when associating democracy with countriesRead MoreDemocracy : Democracy And Autocracy1055 Words   |  5 PagesJesse Helligso November 19, 2014 Democracy and Autocracy Today, 118 of the world s 193 countries are democratic, encompassing a majority of its people (54.8 percent, to be exact), a vast increase from even a decade ago (Zakaria 23). When we are faced with the term â€Å"Democracy†, we think of safety but what people do not understand is that there are two types of democracy and they are completely opposites of each other. The two types of democracies include liberal and illiberal. In the article, ZakariaRead MoreThailand s Current Form Of Government1477 Words   |  6 Pagescurrent form of government is based on a constitutional monarchy. A hereditary Thai king serves as the head of state while a Prime Minister is elected by a parliamentary government. Since the infamous 1932 revolution conducted by Royal Thai Army officers and members of the country’s wealthy, elite bureaucracy that put an end to the country’s absolute monarchy form of government, Thailand has experienced many military interventions in its political system that have included 19 coups and coup attemptsRead MoreArend Lipjhart s Majoritarian Model Of Democracy1466 Words   |  6 Pagesmodel of democracy is closely linked to the Westminster style of government, and it is the similarities between the Majoritarian model and this government that has resulted in this model being referred to as the Westminster model. This majoritarian model places emphasis on single party cabinets, concentrated power and the majority rule. Despite the initial appearance that Westminster has deviated from the majoritarian model, upon closer inspection it is clearly shown that the Westminster system is stillRead MoreAustralia s Parliamentary Democracy And If It Is Effective1287 Words   |  6 Pagesquite the complex governmental system. Australia is known as a federation, a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy all in one. As a result, Australia has a queen, who resides in the United Kingdom, but is represented by a Governor-General in A ustralia. Following, a Prime Minister governs the country. In addition, there is a two-chamber Commonwealth Parliament that makes the laws. This diverse government is often referred to as the Westminster System. The goal of this paper is to examine