20 Democracy Definition according to Experts

DEFINITION.TODAY - What is Democracy? Democracy was first introduced since the 5th century BC in Athens, Greece. Democracy is derived from the word Demos which means the people, and kratos or cratein which means government. Thus it can be interpreted that democracy is a people's government, or can also be called as government of the people, by the people, and for the people. The concept has ultimately become an indicator for political development in a country.

Experts define "democracy" according to different analyzes and points of view. Here are some definitions of democracy that have been put forward by some experts:

1. According to Abraham Lincoln

In his Gettyburg speech, the 16th President of the United States Abraham Lincoln stated that democracy is a system of government organized from the people, by the people, and for the people. From this definition, it can be concluded that the people are the highest power holders in a government, where each of them has the right in obtaining the same opportunity and the same voice in an effort to regulate government policy. In this system, decisions are made on the basis of the most votes.

2. According to H. Harris Soche (Yogyakarta: Hanindita, 1985)

Democracy is a form of popular government. This means that the people are the power holders in the government. They have the right to organize, defend and protect themselves from coercion from their representatives, those persons or bodies authorized to govern.

3. According to Hannry B. Mayo

In a democracy, a common policy is determined on the basis of a majority by representatives who are effectively overseen by the people through various elections based on the principle of political equality and held in an atmosphere where political freedom takes place.

4. According to Charles Costello

In contemporary context, democracy is a social system as well as a political self-government with governmental powers constrained by laws and customs in protecting the rights of individual citizens.

In democracy, there is an acknowledgment of the will of the people as the basis for legitimacy and authority of the government (sovereignty of the people). The will is later poured in an open political climate, namely by conducting elections held freely and periodically. Every citizen has the right to vote for those who will rule as well as to bring down the running government whenever they want.

5. According to John L Esposito

Basically, democracy is a form of government from the people and to the people. Therefore, the people have the right to participate, either play an active role or when controlling the policies issued by the government. In addition, in the official institution of government there is a separation of various elements such as executive, legislative, and unsut judicative elements clearly.

6. According to Hans Kelsen

Democracy is a government of the people and for the people. In this case, the elected representatives of the people are the implementers of state power, where the people have the belief that their will and interests will always be observed in the implementation of the government.

7. According to Sidney Hook

Democracy is a form of government where government's important decisions are either directly or indirectly based on the majority agreement granted by freely grown-ups.

8. According to C.F. Strong

Democracy is a form of government where most of the council members from the community participate in political activities based on a representative system, which in turn, the government can guarantee and account for all its actions on the majority.

9. According to Samuel Hutington

Democracy will be created if strong decision-makers in a governance system are selected through a fair and fair electoral process on a regular basis. Within the system, candidates or prospective leaders are free to compete for votes. In addition, an adult country has the right to vote within the system.

10. According to the International Commission of Journalist

Democracy is a form of governmental system in which citizens have the right to participate in making political decisions through their elected representatives and who are accountable to them through a free election.

11. According to Yusuf Al Qordhawi

Citizens can appoint someone to administer or manage their affairs through a vessel called democracy. Under these conditions, there are some things they should look at, such as:

• Leaders are not people who are hated by society
• The rules that apply are not rules they do not want
• The public is entitled to hold accountable to the leader or representative they choose when guilty.
• The public also has the right to dismiss or appoint elected leaders or representatives if they are found to have committed abuses.
• Communities should not be brought into a system of government they do not know and like, whether in the economic, social, cultural, and political fields.

12. According to Abdul Ghani Ar Rahhal

In his book Al Islamiyyin wa Sarah Ad Dimuqrathiyya, Abdul Ghani Ar Rahhal states that democracy is a form of people's power by the people. In other words the people are the source of power. He also asserted that plato was the first person to reveal the theory of democracy, in which the source of power was one and not a compound desire. Another author named Muhammad Quthb in his book entitled Madzahib Fikriyyah Mu'ashirah also stated the same thing about the definition of democracy.

13. According to Affan Gaffar

There are two meanings of democracy according to Affan Gaffar, namely:

• Democracy that ideally wants to be realized by a country called normative democracy
• Democracy manifested in a political world called empirical democracy.

14. According to Amien Rais

There are several criteria that must be met in order for a country to be called a democratic state. The criteria are:

• Participation in decision making
• Have similarities before the law
• Distribution of opinions done fairly
• Have the same opportunity to gain education
• Availability and disclosure of information
• Noting or treating fatsoen or political manners.
• Individual or individual freedom
• The spirit to work together
• The right to protest

There are 4 kinds of freedom, namely:

• Freedom in opinion
• Freedom in the press
• Freedom in gathering or organizing
• Freedom in religion.

15. According to Robert A Dahl

Ideally, a democratic system should have:

• Suffrage equality in determining binding collective decisions.
• Effective participation. It means all citizens have the same opportunity in the collective decision-making process.
• Transparency of truth, namely the equal opportunity of each citizen in order to provide an assessment of the logical process of politics and government.
• The last control of the agenda is that it is exclusively for the public to determine which agenda should not be resolved through the process of governance, including delegating such authority to others or institutions that may represent them
• Coverage, that is, the coverage of the society covered by all persons covered by law.

16. According to Abdul Wadud Nashruddin

Democracy is a system of life where people's opinions are placed as the main priority in taking policies. Such opinion should meet several criteria such as:

• Religion
• Susila
• Law
• The spirit to uphold the common good.

The voice or opinion of the people must be accompanied by a sense of responsibility. The existence of a positive commitment to its implementation should go through a continuous evaluation stage to suit the needs of the community. In addition to being a political tool, democracy also serves as a tool for the formation of other aspects of society such as economic, social, cultural aspects. Only socially responsible and understandable people relate to the opinions they convey both in scientific, syar'i, and social.

17. According to Joseph A. Schumpeter

A political system can be said to be democratic when its strongest collective decision-makers are elected through an election that is regularly done in which there is a right for a human to choose. A democracy includes two things, namely competition and participation.

18. According to Ranny

Democracy is a form of government where its arrangement and organization is based on the following principles:

• Sovereignty (popular soveragnity)
• Political equality
• Consultation or dialogue with the community (political consultation)
• The majority rule

19. According to Philippe C. Schmitter

Democracy is a theory that states that it is responsive to the needs and interests of its citizens, in which they must participate in formulating needs and actively and freely express interests. Not only must it have a clear understanding, but must have the various sources and the desire to involve themselves in the political struggle required for their preference to be a consideration for the rulers or by attempting to assume office in government.

20. According to Sarjen

Each democratic system is always grounded in the idea that the state should be involved in certain things either directly or through the representatives they have elected in the legislature in the field of political decisions.

Although democratic governance is now considered the best system of government, yet two prominent thinkers of ancient Greece named Plato and Aristotle have argued that in democracy there is the potential for violence (anarchy), so for them democracy is not the best system of government . Plato also states that the best form of government system is the monarchy, in which the full command in a country is given by a king whose power will be devoted for the benefit of all of its people.