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Democracy: Is The United States A Democracy?

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Democracy: Is The United States A Democracy?
What is Democracy?

Though there is no exact definition of a democracy, it does “refer to a regime whereby political power is widely spread,” (68 Gerner, Ferdinand, and Lawson) and involves equality when it comes to politics. In a democracy, the people run the government. This system is thought to have four key elements: a system in which the government is chosen or replaced through free and fair elections, active participation of the people in politics and civic life, protection of the human rights for all the people, a rule of law in which the laws and procedures are equally applied to all the citizens. In a democracy, the people are sovereign because they are the highest form of political authority. They are the ones that “choose their leaders and hold their …show more content…
“The Making of Democracy.” Seeking a Path. Buddha Net, 27 December 2003. Web. 30 September 2013. http://www.buddhanet.net/cmdsg/solns1.htm
3. Mott, Jonathan. “Is the United States a Democracy?” This Nation.com. Web. 30 September 2013. http://thisnation.com/question/011.html
4. “Government: The Swedish System of Government.” Sweden.se. Swedish Institute, April 2013. Web. 30 September 2013. http://www.sweden.se/eng/home/society/government-politics/facts/swedish-system-of-government/
5. Al-Assad, Ribal. “Struggle for Democracy in Syria. The Sunday Times. Project Syndicate, 2011. Web. 30 September 2013. http://www.sundaytimes.lk/110814/Timestwo/int10.html

6. Coronel, Gustavo. “The Corruption of Democracy in Venezuela.” Cato Institute. USA Magazine Today, March 2008. Web. 30 September 2013. http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/corruption-democracy-venezuela
7. Ársaelsson, Kristinn Már. “Real Democracy in Iceland?” Open Democracy. 12 November 2012. Web. 30 September 2013. http://www.opendemocracy.net/kristinn-már-ársælsson/real-democracy-in-iceland
8. Garner, Robert. Ferdinand, Peter. Lawson, Stephanie. “Introduction to Politics, Second Edition.” Oxford University Press, 2012.
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