The word democracy comes from the Greek words "demos", meaning people, and "Kratos" meaning power; so we can say democracy could be thought of as "power of the people". You can check four pillars of democracy in detail in this article.
The Meaning of a Democratic Nation
The American Founders held that the nation's true purpose was not primarily to generate wealth or gain political power for the wealthy but to secure the blessings of liberty for all people. The Founding Fathers also intended that the citizens of the American nation would govern themselves, according to the dictates of the people. The Founders wrote in the Declaration of Independence, "Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed." (Emphasis added.) The Constitution sets out four "pillars of democracy" which each state has a duty to uphold. One of the Founding Fathers' greatest contributions to democracy is his Plan of Government, in which the states were given wide-ranging powers of self-government under an ever-expanding framework of state rights.
The Four Pillars of Democracy:
1. The will of the people, 2. A Government of laws, not men, 3. The role of Law as a restraint on the arbitrary exercise of power, 4. Decentralization of Power. The people should rule. The first pillar of democracy is the sovereignty of the people. Through the power of their vote, people choose their leaders to exercise authority and make decisions in the best interest of the people. While people can lose confidence in their leaders, this is a risk every leader must take. The Government of Laws is the second pillar of democracy. Law is the equivalent of the God in most people's religious lives, that seeks to restrain the power of the people. Laws are the foundation of our country's form of government. The law in question here is the Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia.
Rule of law
In Plato’s Republic, Democracy is not the end of a particular government but rather a type of government, where people choose among all of the other forms of government by choosing to live under the government they choose, rather than being forced to live under a regime of another type of government. Plato said that the power to choose leaders is a prerogative of the people, not the government. Therefore, each generation must pass on their freedom and their responsibilities to the next. So democracy is not about the government being for one or the other; it is about the people being for the government being for the people. So the real meaning of democracy is that the people have power over the government. There are four key attributes of democracy that people choose to live under.
Equal and free elections
Anybody who is eligible to vote is considered a citizen of the Republic. This means that we allow every person, citizen or not, to vote; regardless of who they are, or where they are from, what they have done, or how they have lived their lives. The only qualification to vote is that the individual must be 18 years or older. Public offices Any member of the public can vote in any election. We do not limit the number of people who can be elected as public offices. A person can be elected for public office if they have lived in the Republic for at least 10 years, and meet certain minimum requirements: If the position is a vote for only one person, that person must either be 18 years or older, or meet certain minimum qualifications.
Freedom of assembly
Democracy is a system in which elected leaders can be voted into office through a free and fair election. This requires a form of government in which people with a variety of opinions can participate in the election process. This gives every citizen a say in how the country is run, and it ensures every citizen can vote for their preferred political party or candidates. One of the hallmarks of democracy is the right to vote. This means that people have the right to vote. It is a fundamental right of citizenship, and one that allows people to have a say in how their society is run. How free and fair is the election process? First, let's examine the issue of free and fair elections.
Freedom of speech
Speech or written speech has always been seen as an intrinsic element of freedom in a democratic society, which is the main reason for the US Declaration of Independence and the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, both of which begin with the words: "We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights; that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness". Under the Republic, the press was also covered as an intrinsic element of freedom, since freedom of speech is integral to democracy. In those days, the press was not only a free-for-all where all you needed to do was place an ad in the newspaper to speak to the public.
How is democracy different from other forms of government?
In a monarchy, power is represented by a king who is always above the law and he or she alone has the ability to legislate and oversee their country. In a democracy, power is distributed to citizens. Unlike a monarchy, citizens have direct access to the government and to their own powers. With a direct access to the government and with the power of voting, people are able to express their voices through the system in order to influence the people who make policy decisions in their country. How did the early democracies like ancient Greece and Rome establish a true democracy? In order to create a true democracy, it is very important for the people to see that they have a say in the governing process.
Conclusion
Democracy does not exist in one form, but in a number of forms in various countries around the world. Understanding the processes in which the concepts of democracy are made to work, is vital for making sure you are an informed voter and that you are getting the right information.