Understanding Democracy, Civil Society, and Political Systems
Democracy
A political system in which people choose their leaders by voting.
Main characteristics:
Freedom: Related to justice, equality, and human rights. We are free to give our opinion.
Power division: Political power is divided:
Legislative → Parliament
Judicial → Judge
Executive → Government
3. Equality: All people are supposed to be equal under the law.
4. Representative: People take part in politics by voting for their representatives who will govern.
Civil Society
‘Civil Society’ is a community of citizens related by common interests. A Civil Society is not part of any governmental institution; it acts collectively and usually voluntarily in order to achieve social benefits and to promote the human rights of collectives who suffer discrimination.
Initiative Types / Handled Issues
– Antimilitary and anti-war movements
– Education/school
– Environment/sustainability
– Gender and sexuality issues/family planning issues
– Labour/workers issues
– Movement for peace
– Promotion of political projects
– Revitalization of minority languages
– Solidarity and cooperation with developing countries
Strategies Carried Out by Civil Society
– Strikes
– Demonstrations
– Protests
– Build infrastructure (i.e., hospitals) or provide services (i.e., offer lunches to people in need)
– Boycott an event or goods produced by an unethical factory, for example
– Fundraising
– Disobedience
– Human chains
Institutions
Formal: Parliament
Informal: Family
European Union, state, autonomous community, province, municipality
People Participation
In a democracy, basic human issues are decided among all the citizens.
Direct participation: Referendum (for or against), for example: to join the EU, to accept the constitution, to accept independence.
Indirect participation: Elections, people choose their representatives, and they leave the power to decide in their hands. Example: (state, autonomous community, E.U….)
Detailed information: Freedom of expression is essential (media: TV, radio…)
Suffrage: The right to vote: universal, secret, 18 years old, women 20th century
Parties obtain the seats of the parliament in proportion to the number of votes they get.
Political Parties
Institutions consisting of people who share the same aim, interest, and way of thinking. To achieve these aims, they use political power through representatives chosen in elections. Example (seats…)
Republic
Head of state: President
Elected by citizens: elections → Suffrage → the Right to vote
Monarchy
Head of state: King/Queen
Hereditary (family) → until death or abdication.
Absolutism: No division of power
Constitutional monarchy: The parliament governs; the king/queen doesn’t rule directly.
Dictatorship
· A person or group of people of the same ideology has absolute power.
· Obtain power:
Coup d’état (golpe de estado)
Election but not free universal suffrage.
Structure of State
· Centralised:
Single government and parliament that decide and rule the entire country. (Ex: Italy, France…)
· Decentralised:
– Autonomous countries: (own political powers) (Spain)
– Federal state (USA)