The word ‘democracy’ has its origins in the Greek language. It combines two shorter words: ‘demos’ meaning whole citizen living within a particular city-state and ‘kratos’ meaning power or rule. Show
It is generally agreed that liberal democracies are based on four main principles:
The Democratic FrameworkA liberal democracy (that is, one that champions the development and well-being of the individual) is organised in such a way as to define and limit power so as to promote legitimate government within a framework of justice and freedom. There are four critical elements to the framework:
LegitimacyA legitimate government is one that has the appropriate mandate/authority to rule. This usually means a high degree of popular support as demonstrated by a free electorate and frequent elections.
JusticeJustice is achieved when citizens live in an environment in which all citizens are treated equally and accorded dignity and respect. This may occur in a representative democracy that is tempered by constitutionalism, free elections and restraints on power.
FreedomIf freedom is to exist, there must be:
PowerIn a liberal democracy efforts are made to define and limit power, often by means of a written constitution. Checks and balances, such as the separation of the Parliament, senior government and judicial power, are instituted. In addition, there are conventions of behaviour and a legal system that complements the political system.
DefinitionsThere is no absolute definition of democracy. The term is elastic and expands and contracts according to the time, place and circumstances of its use. What follows is a short list of definitions provided by field experts. Jim KilcullenBut first, what does democracy mean? In Ancient Greece some cities were democracies, others were oligarchies. Democracy meant rule by the people, oligarchy meant rule by the few. So a city was a democracy if:
Andrew Heywood
Dr John Hirst
Joseph Schumpeter
Schumpeter adds that ‘the classical theory of democracy attributed to the electorate an altogether unrealistic degree of initiative which practically amounted to ignoring leadership.’ Further, Schumpeter claimed that,
Definitional issues
Key democratic practicesAs proposed by Robert Dahl, Schmitter and Karl, and Larry Diamond.
Different types of democracies
Direct democracyIn a direct democracy, such as ancient Athens, all citizens (only adult males who had completed their military training; women, slaves and plebs were not citizens) are invited to participate in all political decisions. This form of democracy is no longer practiced. In this form of democracy citizens are continuously involved in the exercise of power and decision is by majority rule. Representative democracyIn a representative democracy, representatives are elected by the people and entrusted to carry out the business of governance. Australia is a representative democracy. Constitutional democracyIn a constitutional democracy a constitution outlines who will represent the people and how. Australia is also a constitutional democracy. Monitory democracyPolitical scientist John Keane suggests that a new form of democracy is evolving in which government is constantly monitored in its exercise of power by a vast array of public and private agencies, commissions and regulatory mechanisms. See Life and Death of Democracy by John Keane, published by Simon and Schuster UK in 2009. ResourcesThe principle of the separation of powers distributes the power to govern between the Parliament, the Executive and the Judiciary. This fact sheet examines the role of each group and the related principle of responsible government. The Australian Constitution is the set of rules by which Australia is run. The first 3 chapters of the Constitution define 3 mostly separate groups—the Parliament, the Executive and the Judiciary—and the roles they play in the governing of Australia. The power to make and manage Australian law is divided between these 3 groups. This division is based on the principle of the 'separation of powers'. Under this principle, the power to govern should be distributed between the Parliament, the Executive and the Judiciary to avoid any group having all the power. Each group should work within defined areas of responsibility to keep a check on the actions of the others. Separation of roles
Exceptions to the principleAustralia does not have a complete separation of powers because some of the roles of the Parliament, the Executive and the Judiciary overlap. For example, the Prime Minister and ministers are part of the Executive and the Parliament. High Court judges, the Prime Minister and ministers are officially appointed by the Governor-General, who is part of the Parliament and the Executive. The role of the Governor-GeneralSection 61 of the Constitution states that ‘the executive power of the Commonwealth is vested in the Queen and is exercisable by the Governor-General as the Queen’s representative’. (Covering clause 2 says that the ‘Queen’s’ powers extend to her heirs.) This means that the Governor-General has been given certain powers to act on behalf of the King. The role of the Governor-General is not just defined by the Constitution; it is also defined by custom and tradition. While executive power is exercised by the Governor-General, in reality this is normally done on the advice of the Prime Minister and ministers, who have day-to-day responsibility for governing Australia. The Governor-General does not have the authority to make decisions on behalf of the government, but has a role in both the government and the Parliament. Responsible governmentThe separation of powers works together with the principle of ‘responsible government’ to guide the way law is made and managed. Responsible government means that a party or coalition of parties must maintain the support of the majority of members of the House of Representatives in order to remain in government. This provides another check on the Executive, ensuring they are accountable to the Parliament and do not abuse their power. HistoryThe origins of the principle of the separation of powers can be traced back as far as ancient Greece. It was made popular by French philosopher Charles de Montesquieu in his book L'Esprit des Lois (the Spirit of the Laws) (1748). He wrote that a nation's freedom depended on the 3 powers of governance—legislative, executive and judicial—each having their own separate institution. Montesquieu’s ideas have since been widely used in the development of many democratic countries.
Parliamentary Education Office (peo.gov.au)
This diagram illustrates the separation of powers in the Australian system of government. The Parliament (represented by an icon of Australian Parliament House) has the power to make and change law. The Executive (represented by a group of people) has the power to put law into action. The Judiciary (represented by an icon of a scale) has the power to make judgements on law. The three groups—Parliament, Executive and Judiciary—are connected. |