A government is a political body or department of authority governed by a constitution that limits its powers and functions to ensure the protection of the public interest. It is organized and administered by the citizens through representatives known as district or regional administrators. A government is usually led by a president, a prime minister or a legislative assembly. The president of a country can only be elected for a two-year term.
Some believe that democracy in government decision-making is better than republic rule since a democratic government makes more informed decisions and less influenced by interests that may be diametrically opposite to the wishes of the majority. However, a representative democracy differs from direct democracy in that a representative has the power to make decisions based on his preferences among a group rather than a majority. A representative also cannot be forced to abide by the decisions made by his constituents. Direct democracy, which is an overall assessment of a society’s political system, assigns to each citizen certain powers and duties based on their contribution to the overall welfare of the nation.
Generally speaking, there are five different types of representative democracy. The first is universal representative democracy, also known as the representative form of government. The second is decentralized representative democracy, which is characterized by a unicameral legislature. The third is proportional representation, a system that assigns seats to different populations based on their voting strength. The last is multi-party democracy, which is a political system that has a single party in charge of the affairs of the nation or regions.
Universal representative democracy gives equal representation to all citizens of a country. decentralization promotes local control and self-rule, allowing lesser groups of citizens to have greater access to public policies and local decision-making. As decentralization encourages political equality, it also makes it easier for smaller parties to gain supporters and votes. Many argue that representative democracy lacks accountability, and that elected officials may take their parties and personal preferences into account when making federal government decisions. In addition, decentralization makes it difficult to change laws once they are established because citizens will have no say in drafting new laws.
On the other hand, a representative form of government may use a form of proportional representation to “weight” the votes of smaller parties so that a vote of a large group is more likely to result in a government with a certain amount of power. Elected officials may appoint members of their political party to certain positions, or Elected governments may make laws that only members of a certain political party can affect. Additionally, Elected governments may not pass laws that require a majority vote of a legislature, only members of a legislature. A proportional representation system ensures that small groups have an equal opportunity to influence political decision-making. The concept of democracy also gives citizens the right to initiate change through election.
Because of our current system, a minority of citizens are able to have a greater voice in United States politics than a majority. The right to be treated equally is what democracy is based on; a right to be heard is what democracy is based on. Without equal representation and with the ability to make decisions as a powerful majority, minorities and politically unpopular groups will continue to have a lower quality of life. Elected officials should uphold the rights of the citizens to participate in government through an elected representative form of government and not by a one-party state that makes decisions according to its own will without the consent of the governed.