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Ancient Egypt
Meaning of Democracy
Democracy is a governing system in which the people of the country take part. You have read about democracy as it was in ancient days. The Greek city-state of Athens had the first democracy in the history of the world.
Greek democracy was a direct democracy.
Everyone who was a citizen could attend meetings to help make the laws. Women, slaves, and others, however, were not allowed to participate in Greece's democracy.
For many years, Rome, too, had a government based on the ideas of democracy. Rome's democracy was more like present-day democraciesit was a representative democracy. In a representative democracy, citizens elect people to make laws and decisions for them. Another name for this kind of democracy is republic.
In the first century A.D., the Roman government changed from a democracy to a monarchy and later to a military dictatorship. For centuries after, democracy was not used as a governing system.
Then, in 1215, the government of England began developing in a democratic direction with the signing of the Magna Carta. As time passed, the number of people allowed to take part in English government increased. A group of lawmakers known as a parliament was set up, and it began to gain more authority. This was important because the parliament was a branch of government separate from the king.
Today democracy has spread around the world. More than 140 countries have some form of democracy. Present-day democracies include the United States, Venezuela, Australia, Argentina, Canada, Mexico, Israel, Egypt, India, and Germany.
United States President Abraham Lincoln spoke of "Government of the people, by the people, and for the people." By this, Lincoln meant a government created by citizens and run by citizens for the good of citizens. Lincoln's words described the democracy of the United States of America and all democracies.
Like ancient Rome, the United States has a representative democracy. The United States' democracy is also a constitutional democracy. In a constitutional democracy,
the goals of the government and the ways it will work to achieve them are laid out in a constitution, or plan for governing. Today most countries have constitutions.
Yet not all countries with constitutions are democracies.
Many countries now are democracies, but not all democracies are alike. For example, Canada's democracy differs in many ways from that of the United States. Unlike the United States, Canada has a democracy with a parliament. In Canada the prime minister and the members of the Cabinet are part of the government's executive branch, just as the President and the Cabinet are in the United States. At the same time they are also members of Parliament, the legislative branch. The Canadian Parliament, like the United States Congress, has two houses. Members of one house, the Senate, are appointed. Members of the other house, the House of Commons, are elected.
Democracies require effort on the part of the citizens of a country. For a democracy to work well, citizens need to participate, stay informed, and vote. A democracy can be overthrown by a dictator, can be voted out of existence, or can last for centuries as the United States' democracy has.
Governments of the World
Governments are frameworks of societies. They run the countries and make the laws. Governments also see that the laws are obeyed, control business, and protect citizens. All governments do these things, but different governing systems do them in different ways. Today there are four main governing systems in the world: democracy, monarchy, dictatorship, and oligarchy.democracy meaning
How would you describe the democracy of the United States?
Democracy is a governing system in which the people of the country take part. You have read about democracy as it was in ancient days. The Greek city-state of Athens had the first democracy in the history of the world.
Greek democracy was a direct democracy.
Everyone who was a citizen could attend meetings to help make the laws. Women, slaves, and others, however, were not allowed to participate in Greece's democracy.
For many years, Rome, too, had a government based on the ideas of democracy. Rome's democracy was more like present-day democraciesit was a representative democracy. In a representative democracy, citizens elect people to make laws and decisions for them. Another name for this kind of democracy is republic.
In the first century A.D., the Roman government changed from a democracy to a monarchy and later to a military dictatorship. For centuries after, democracy was not used as a governing system.
Then, in 1215, the government of England began developing in a democratic direction with the signing of the Magna Carta. As time passed, the number of people allowed to take part in English government increased. A group of lawmakers known as a parliament was set up, and it began to gain more authority. This was important because the parliament was a branch of government separate from the king.
Today democracy has spread around the world. More than 140 countries have some form of democracy. Present-day democracies include the United States, Venezuela, Australia, Argentina, Canada, Mexico, Israel, Egypt, India, and Germany.
United States President Abraham Lincoln spoke of "Government of the people, by the people, and for the people." By this, Lincoln meant a government created by citizens and run by citizens for the good of citizens. Lincoln's words described the democracy of the United States of America and all democracies.
Like ancient Rome, the United States has a representative democracy. The United States' democracy is also a constitutional democracy. In a constitutional democracy,
the goals of the government and the ways it will work to achieve them are laid out in a constitution, or plan for governing. Today most countries have constitutions.
Yet not all countries with constitutions are democracies.
Many countries now are democracies, but not all democracies are alike. For example, Canada's democracy differs in many ways from that of the United States. Unlike the United States, Canada has a democracy with a parliament. In Canada the prime minister and the members of the Cabinet are part of the government's executive branch, just as the President and the Cabinet are in the United States. At the same time they are also members of Parliament, the legislative branch. The Canadian Parliament, like the United States Congress, has two houses. Members of one house, the Senate, are appointed. Members of the other house, the House of Commons, are elected.
Democracies require effort on the part of the citizens of a country. For a democracy to work well, citizens need to participate, stay informed, and vote. A democracy can be overthrown by a dictator, can be voted out of existence, or can last for centuries as the United States' democracy has.
Governments of the World
Governments are frameworks of societies. They run the countries and make the laws. Governments also see that the laws are obeyed, control business, and protect citizens. All governments do these things, but different governing systems do them in different ways. Today there are four main governing systems in the world: democracy, monarchy, dictatorship, and oligarchy.democracy meaning
How would you describe the democracy of the United States?
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