CHV 2O - Civics Principles of Democracy

Democracy is a system of government where the people choose their representatives, usually by elections. he representatives then govern the people base! on the power grante! to them by winning the election Democracy is the metho! that many countries have chosen as the best way to meet the !iverse nee!s of their citi"ens. he aim of !emocracy is the #common goo!$. %n a !emocracy, governments ma&e !ecisions that reflect the will of the ma'ority. he government is limite! in its powers an! must respect people(s rights an! free!oms. ) poor lea!er will not be electe!, or not be re-electe!. Politicians who want to be re-electe! must try to satisfy the nee!s of the people they serve. his is one of the &ey points in #*esponsible +overnment$ - the politicians are responsible to the electorate. ) !emocratic society is base! on the following principles, Majority Rule %n a !emocracy, an important principle is that the will of the ma'ority -what most people want. shoul! prevail. +overnment representatives are usually chosen on the basis of who receive! the ma'ority of seats or votes. The Common Good Democratic citi"ens shoul! wor& towar!s ma&ing everyone in the society safe, secure an! happy. hey shoul! have a sense of responsibility an! caring for others. The Rule of Law %n a !emocracy, everyone must a!here to the same laws -inclu!ing the lea!ers an! the police/military.. 0aws shoul! be &nown by all, pre!ictable an! impartial. 1ven the government is sub'ect to the laws, an! must obey them. Fundamental Rights and Freedoms )ll citi"ens are entitle! to certain rights an! free!oms. -%n Cana!a these are lai! out in the Cana!ian Charter of *ights an! 2ree!oms. %n an i!eal !emocracy everyone is e3ual an! has the right an! free!om to vote, run for office an! spea& about public issues without intimi!ation. )ll citi"ens have the free!om to spea& -e4pression., to peacefully assemble, to form associations, an! to their own beliefs -inclu!ing free!om of religion.. he rights of the minority are to be protecte! an! respecte! by the ma'ority -minorities have the same rights as everyone else.. Human Dignity and Respect Democratic citi"ens shoul! respect the rights of others an! uphol! the !ignity of all people. be tolerant of the !ifferences of others if they wish others to tolerate their !ifferences. hey shoul!

Responsibility *esponsibility is !efine! as accepting the conse3uences of your actions -goo! or ba!.. 2or every right grante! to a citi"en there is a correspon!ing responsibility, an! our rights are not absolute. he right to free speech !oes not allow a person to yell #fire$ in a crow!e! theatre for e4ample. tewardship he !ecisions ma!e by governments impact on us to!ay, but they may also have long term impacts on future generations. 2or e4ample the use of nuclear power plants might help us with our current power supply, but the wastes they generate will be ha"ar!ous for generations to come. he !ecisions we ma&e must be goo! for us, but they must also be goo! for our gran! chil!ren an! great gran!chil!ren too. !articipation %f the !ecisions of government are to truly reflect the will of the people then the people must ta&e an

active part in !emocracy - by voting, by ma&ing their opinions &nown to their representatives. %f people !o not participate then they must accept the !ecisions ma!e by others who !i! ta&e part.

!rinciple
Majority Rule

"#planation

"#ample

Responsibilities $ Limits

The Common Good

The Rule of Law

Fundamental Rights and Freedoms

Human Dignity and Respect

Responsibility

tewardship

!articipation