Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Democracy and Smokescreens

The term democracy, if directly translated from Greek, refers to the rule of the People. However, in today’s global socio-political landscape, the question that begs to be asked- and answered- is who these people are in the present day context.

While the most significant notion and slogan for democratic states today is the upholding of individual liberty and free franchise, the practice of these fundamental rights granted by the constitutions is greatly restricted.  The differences in the models of democracy focus on the extent of popular rule. But what if this rule is a smokescreen in itself?


One of the main aims of a democratic setting is the checking of and accounting for of an unrestricted exercise of power. But in the days of wiretapping and manufactured consent, are the elections fair when you know what is going on in the hearts and minds of your audience and rivals? Similarly, if the elected representatives are not very representative of the common man, are the ideals of democracy upheld, no matter which model is claimed to be in place? 

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