what do you know about democracy

Democracy does not have a universally acceptable meaning. Different scholars attempted to give their own interpretation. Abraham Lincoln's famous definition of democracy "as the government of the people by the people and for the people" remains most valid up till date.This explains why modern democracy is a representative democracy which marked significantly from the classical democracy of athenian type.In ancient Athens democracy was characterized by the following: first,supreme power was vested on the "ekklesis" which is the assembly of all male citizens at which each was entitled to participate by discussing and voting this may be called "direct democracy"
    In an attempt to describe democracy, five basic elements are discernible.These are  equality,sovereignity of the people,respect of human life, the individual.It is simply equal right and opportunity of all citizens to hold political office.
    Democracy has certain principles which have universal applications. First the principle popular consultation, that in democracy decisions are taken after the citizens have been widely consulted.Second; political sovereignty,this implies  that in  democracy power belongs to the people(electorate).Third; political equality,democratic equality.Democratic equality as one  of the basic tenets implies one man one vote irrespective of social status wealth religion etc.Fourth majority rule and minority rights this implies that the majority will always have their ways while the minority opinion must be respected.Fifth; fundamental human right which includes the right to life liberty and prosperity sixth independent of the judiciary that the judiciary must be independent in order to play its role as an arbiter. seventh it oposses arbitrary rule by the leaders eight the obedience of the rule of law.
    There are contending views of democracy among scholars.Some see it as some kind of power in which citizens are directly engaged in "self government and self regulation"or as a means of conferring authority on those periodicallly voted into office.According to Held this disagreement has GIVEN RISE TO THREE BASIC variants or models of democracy in which citizens  are involved as in acient greek city states.the second model of democracy is the "marxist tradition".This is popularly referred to as people's democracy'.The marxian thought of democracy is that it seeks to explain how equality of all citizens from the political economic and social life is to be guaranteed in the society