Democracy

Mao voting in the 1954 election in China

Democracy, as of common consensus, as a concept, was formally conceived by the ancient Greeks. The word “democracy” comes from two Greek words being: people (demos), and rule (kratos). By popular definition, democracy is a method of rule wherein the populace have common power, as in the people have an active role within the steering and guidance of the state. Contrary to common conception, “democracy” is not a system within itself, but a basis upon which political organizations and structures are formed. Democracy became the method of rule within Athens, a part of the superstructure, so to speak, however within the bounds of the material base. In slave societies, the only people eligible to participate were so-called “free men”, which did not include women, children, and slaves, who made up the majority of the population.

Freedom in capitalist society always remains about the same as it was in ancient Greek republics: Freedom for slave owners.

— Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

Interpretations

Democracy in modernity has been split into many categories and has been countlessly interpreted and, at times, vulgarized by bourgeois thinkers. It may be noted that “democracy”, in all of its forms, are indeed a progressive force comparatively to the political systems proceeding it. Even the simplest liberal democracy serving the interests of the ruling class, is still superior to a direct dictatorship by class interests.

Bourgeois democracy

A majority of Chinese and Indian people believe their countries are more democratic than the West in addition to a large minority from Turkey and Russia.

In practice, bourgeois democracies are a form of the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. Capitalists and landlords control 90% of newspapers and meeting halls and prevent workers from controlling the state through bourgeois property laws.

Deng Xiaoping argued that bourgeois democracy was,

'...no more than a system of multiparty elections, separation of judicial, executive and legislative powers, and a bicameral legislature.'

He argued that rather than having a bourgeois democracy in China, there was a people's democracy.

See also

• Democratic centralism
• Centralism