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Democracy And The Benefits Of Democracy

Decent Essays

The world is changing, and right now there is a great amount of tension between many of the countries. So how do we solve all of this tension? A democratic government protects the rights of its citizens creating a society where everyone works together to improve the country economically, politically and socially. Before one can begin to discuss the merits of democracy, one must first answer the question what is democracy? In his essay on democracy, Robert Dahl explains how democracy cannot exist without protecting the rights of its citizens. Democracy is more than a system of government, it is also a “system of rights” because rights are “the essential building blocks” of a democratic government (Dahl 100). Democracy builds off of the idea of human rights to create a system of government shaped around a collection of powers which belong to every citizen. Because rights provide the foundation for the democratic system, it cannot be practiced without providing a guarantee of personal rights. Cornel West illustrates how democracy is more than just a type of government, it is a way of life which benefits its citizens. Democracy is a “cultural way of being” which causes people to become “empowered and enlightened” (West 115-16). Democracy changes the way that its citizens think, in democratic societies the culture is based largely around how democracy is beneficial. The cultural influence of democracy causes a change in its citizens- they develop into more sophisticated

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