Basic Elements of Democracy

 Democracy

�         Popular sovereignty

o       A people��social contract� agreement among elements of a society to form a single self-governing country

o       Self-governing country

o       Citizens/citizenship

�         Rights and responsibilities

�         Roles of

�         Participation of

�         Elections and voting � free, periodic

o        Majority/supermajority rule

o        Minority rights

�         Representation

o        Legislatures

o        Forms of representation

o        Equality

Liberalism

• Individual rights/human rights
  • Personal
  • Economic
  • Political

• Civil society
• Market economy (creates and disperses power outside of government and checks powers)

Constitutions and Constitutionalism

• Constitution � alternative definitions of
• Constitutional government/constitutionalism

�         Empower and limit government

�         Allocate powers

�         Establish governmental institutions

�         Establish fundamental rights of citizens

�         Rule of law

o        Independent judiciary

Politics

Government and purposes of government

• Authority, power, legitimacy

• Purposes of government

Political culture

Justice

Freedom

Equality

Free society

Participation