Topic 9 Democracy & Participation of
the People
Topic Purpose
The purpose of this topic is to equip the learner with knowledge of the concepts
of democracy and participation of the people, as well as the benefits and
challenges towards the promotion of the principle of democracy and
participation of the people.
Expected Learning Outcomes
Explain
the concepts of democracy and
participation of the people.
Provide
Assess
Kenya.
examples of practice of democracy.
the challenges to democracy in
Introduction
Democracy and participation of the people refers to a political culture of
involving people at all levels of decision making, where everyone is equally
bestowed with the powers to exercise personal skills, access information,
utilize opportunities, elect their representatives, express their views, and
participate in governance without prohibition.
It also refers to the right to contribute to societal and national issues
particularly in reference to leadership and governance.
Democracy and participation of the people go hand in hand. The key role of
citizens in a democracy is to participate in public life.
Citizen participation is one of the key building blocks of sustainable
democracy.
Types of Democracy
Direct democracy
•
Representative democracy.
Direct Democracy is a system where the people make the key political
decisions by themselves. This abolishes any distinction between the
state and the citizens as it is a form of self-government.
The effectiveness of this model of democracy is directly proportional
to the extent of popular participation. In a direct democracy, the
people’s influence on the state is not limited to electing
representatives to the parliament or government.
Citizens can express their views and intervene directly on their
representatives’ activities through a popular initiative and/or
referendum.
•
Features of Direct Democracy
Genuine democracy: It is the only pure form of democracy as it ensures
popular participation and not representative democracy.
Popular participation is direct: This is where citizens themselves make
decisions.
Popular participation is unmediated: the people are the government, there is
no separate elite or ruling-class between the government and their people.
Popular participation is continuous: Citizens engage in politics on a regular
basis as all decisions are directly made by the people.
Representative Democracy
Representative democracy is a form of indirect democracy in which
professional politicians act for or on behalf of the people.
This is typically expressed through a system of regular and democratic
elections which enable politicians to be removed and made publicly
accountable.
It seeks to ensure that government and parliament reflect and respect the
opinions of the people. Politicians seek legitimacy from elections.
Representative democracy is the most prevalent form of democracy in the
world today.
Elements of Democracy
Democracy as a system of government has four key elements:
A political system for choosing and replacing the government through free and
fair elections.
The active participation of the people as citizens in politics and civic life.
Protection of the human rights of all citizens.
A rule of law, in which the laws and procedures apply equally to all citizens.
Indicators of democracy and
participation of the people
Good
governance.
Regular, free and fair elections.
Participation of the people in elections and public decision
making.
Adherence to the rule of law.
Protection of fundamental freedoms and rights.
Improved welfare of the citizens.
Freedom of assembly, demonstration and open public
discussion on all issues.
Majority rule and respect of the rights of the minorities.
Respect of human dignity and sanctity of life.
Methods of citizens participation
Participation of the people in voting during elections.
Offering oneself as a candidate for political office.
Debating public issues.
Attending community meetings.
Petitioning the government and even protesting.
Active membership in independent NGOs or civil societies.
Paying of taxes by the citizens; and
Monitoring and evaluation of governance processes and activities e.g.
legislations, policy development, implementation and interpretation.
Benefits
Increased
citizen participation in local
governance which leads to improved service
delivery.
Democracy
gives citizens a guarantee that the
will of everyone in the community shall be duly
considered and that no one shall be neglected
by the government.
Democracy
is an avenue for public education,
stimulates interest and it provides a platform
for information sharing.
Benefits (cont’d)
Public participation bridges the gap between state actors
and non-state actors such as the civil society, private sector
and the general public.
Public participation encourages civic and community
responsibility.
Democracy and participation of the people empowers
vulnerable groups to demand and exercise their rights.
It is essential for good governance as it improves information
flow, accountability, due process, and gives greater voice to
those most directly affected by public policy.
Challenges
In some democratic societies, institutions that get involved in elections and other
political processes exhibit weaknesses, e.g., election management bodies that
appear to lack capacity, public trust and in some cases legitimacy.
Inadequate and inappropriate international approaches in supporting democratic
development.
Inability to establish and in some cases re-establish, the political infrastructures
and ideologies that support sustainable democracy and participation of the people.
Electoral conflicts and political violence that reflect the problems of transition to
democracy associated with managing elections and building institutions of
competition that are widely accepted by winners and losers.
Political parties that have weak internal processes and lack internal democratic
system and acrimonious inter-party relations and weak civil society involvement in
the electoral cycle.
Challenges (cont’d)
Poor political leadership resulting from disrespect for the constitution.
The lack of resolve by the democratic countries to empower important social economic
actors that could mitigate against economic conditions such as the abject poverty,
illiteracy, deprivation and hunger shocks.
Democratisation takes place in often still authoritarian environments that resist change,
in countries with weak states that provide insufficient security to their citizens, in
countries with incomplete processes of nation-building, and in countries with poorly
developed or skewed economies.
Lack of sufficient attention to the non-existent or poor economic and social
infrastructure e.g. roads, railways, harbours, and communication systems.
Inability by the democratic countries to achieve economic self-reliance and
independence as a result of internal and external mismanagement of the economy.
Revision Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.
Name and discuss indicators of democracy and
participation of the people.
Examine challenges faced in Kenya in the promotion
of democracy and participation of the people.
Discuss the benefits of democracy and participation
of the people.
Propose possible solutions to challenges faced in the
promotion of democracy and participation of the
people.
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