[The adults] didn’t really have to face all these problems and issues that we have to face now because in their childhood they didn’t have to think about these consequences.

Raina Ivanova, Climate Activist

A society is considered “democratic” if it is founded on the principles of a sovereign citizenship, transparent decision making and accountable government. Although these ideals are difficult to achieve fully, they set a standard for democracy in contemporary Europe and around the world. The word democracy comes from the Greek words demos, meaning “people’” and kratos, meaning “power”. Accordingly, democracy is often defined as “the rule of the people”: a system of making rules determined by the people who are to obey those rules. Most people consider democracy to be the only system of government which is both stable and fair. Democracy rests on two fundamental principles:

• the principle of individual autonomy: that no-one should be subject to rules that have been imposed by others
• the principle of equality: that everyone should have the same opportunity to influence the decisions that affect people in society.

Other forms of government violate both of these principles. In an oligarchy, for example, power is held and decisions are taken by a small, privileged group, perhaps distinguished by wealth, family association, or military prowess. In a plutocracy, government is by the wealthy, and in a dictatorship by a single all-powerful individual. In these forms of government, neither individual autonomy nor equality is respected.

What are the advantages of a democratic style of government?
Are there any disadvantages?

Democracy takes many forms. For example, in direct democracy citizens personally participate indecision making. The most widespread form of democracy, however, is representative democracy, in which citizens elect representatives who create laws and policies and appoint the government officials. But citizens also take other actions to influence decisions, for example, they can protest to show their disagreement with bills, new policy proposals or other decisions. In theory, representative democracy involves the free and fair election of a parliament, elected and supported by a majority of the people being represented. Democracy is characterised by the rule of law, separation of powers, protection of human rights and protection of minorities. “Rule of law” is the principle that the government and legal system function only in accordance with written rules. Under a democratic government, human rights provide a common value system. Among other things, this means that under-represented social groups of any kind, such as children, women, migrants, religious or ethnic minorities, are protected from discrimination, and their identity and participation are supported.

The term democracy signifies a particular type of society as well as a particular form of government. A democratic society provides the fairest and most practical method of governance, with the greatest respect for equality, and with the majority of people playing an active rather than a passive role. Democracy is closely linked to the moral imperative to protect and promote the human rights of every individual, no matter with which group or community they self-identify. Because a democratic society obtains its legitimacy from the people, decisions taken by democratically elected representatives are also more likely to be respected by the people.

Apart from voting, are there other opportunities for people to be involved in decision making in your country, region or community?

Democracy in practice

In practice, every democracy has a different form and no single system should necessarily be considered a model for others. Democratic governments take several forms, including presidential (as in France, the Russian Federation or the United States of America) or parliamentary (as in the United Kingdom, Slovak Republic or Spain). Some democracies, such as Germany, have federal structures. Some voting systems are proportional, while others are majoritarian. However, common to all democratic systems are the principles of equality, and the right of every individual to some degree of personal autonomy.

Personal autonomy does not mean that everyone can do whatever she or he likes. Rather, it consists in the idea that the electoral system allocates an equal vote to each citizen and recognises that each individual is capable of independent choice and entitled to have that choice taken into account. After that, a great deal depends on the initiative and participation of individual citizens.

Democracies differ greatly in the degree to which they respect equality and allow their citizens to influence decisions. People who live in poverty often have a weaker voice. Women, who are less visible in the public arena, often have fewer opportunities to influence decisions, even those concerning women specifically. Certain social groups, such as children and refugees, are not normally allowed to vote.
 

To what extent can children feel ‘ownership’ of laws and government decisions that affect them?

Democratic citizenship

Democratic citizenship refers to the exercise of membership and participation in a democracy, be it the local community, the region, the canton or the federal state, the nation or a supranational organisation such as the European Union (or all of them!).

Being a citizen is an everyday experience. At the state level, it means that the citizen’s civil and political rights are protected by law, and people have reciprocal duties to the state – including obeying the laws of the country, contributing to common expenses, and defending the country if it is attacked. 

In a legal sense, a citizen is the inhabitant or national of a state with civil and political rights and reciprocal duties. Citizenship partly coincides and partly differs from national or ethnic identification, and most European states are composed of several nationalities. People of the same nationality may even live in neighbouring states. While the state is a political and geopolitical entity, the nation is a cultural and/or an ethnic construction. Traditionally, citizenship is a relationship with a state, not dependent on nationality.

Citizenship today has acquired a meaning consisting of various interrelated and complementary ideas that go beyond a simple legal relationship between people and state. It is understood to have not only a legal dimension but also a psychological and social dimension. Being a citizen is part of our identity: we care for our community because it is our community, and we expect others to care for it and to strive for the common good. Perhaps most important is to be aware that an increasing number of people, including children, are formally or emotionally connected to more than one national citizenship, as in the case of people with more than one nationality. It is thus possible to exercise democratic citizenship even if one is a foreigner or does not have the right to vote. We can also be “global” or “world citizens” when we act for the good of humanity and the planet regardless of our nationalities or formal citizenships (and certainly also if we are stateless!). In this broader sense, citizenship is largely a process of socialisation. It involves feelings of identity, belonging, inclusion, participation and social commitment. 

Apart from voting in elections, which forms of involvement or participation are possible for ordinary citizens?
 

Three other concepts are also often referred to, especially in the international youth work scene. They are fluid concepts, yet they are useful to illustrate the evaluation of the idea of citizenship as going beyond the bonds between a state and a citizen.

• European citizenship refers to the idea that citizens of states belonging to the European Union (EU) also have some rights and duties relating to the Union as a whole, in addition to their own states. Such rights include freedom of movement, the right of residence within the territory of the member states and the right to vote and stand as a candidate at elections for the European Parliament. European citizenship is not in confrontation with, or intended as an alternative to national state citizenship, but rather as an additional or complementary layer of citizenship and belonging.
• Global citizenship is a recent concept, and one which emerged from the idea that we have global rights and responsibilities – not least, to earth itself and to humanity! Global citizenship is about understanding the need to tackle injustice and inequality on a global scale, and about actively trying to do so. It includes environmental concerns and recognises the impact that ecological disasters and climate breakdown can have on human lives. 
• Digital citizenship is used to describe the community of individuals online, and the corresponding rights and responsibilities. These rights and responsibilities may relate to any of the numerous communities with which an individual is affiliated – including the community of Internet users. See the chapter ‘Digital World’ for more details. 
   

What is your understanding of citizenship? Do you think that certain people in your country should not be entitled to citizenship rights?

See also  Challenges >>  Relevant human rights instruments >>