Defining Democracy With Young People
There are a lot of definitions of democracy. Since before the beginning of the American experiment, philosophers and politicians, revolutionaries and radicals of all stripes have been trying to define the idea. Some definitions are succinct, some are expansive, and others read like meandering, drawn out confessions of maniacal explorers searching for governance in life. Young people today have their own definitions of democracy.
Exploring Definitions of Democracy
A lot of people have said that “there is no consensus on a precise definition of democracy.” A scholar named Arend Lijphart wrote that democracy “is a concept that virtually defies definition.”
Others have complicated the picture by extensively and over-thoroughly examining its realities. As Wikipedia states,
“Another way of conceiving the difficulties in measuring democracy is through the debate between minimalist versus maximalist definitions of democracy. A minimalist conception of democracy defines democracy by primarily considering the essence of democracy; such as electoral procedures. A maximalist definition of democracy can include outcomes, such as economic or administrative efficiency, into measures of democracy.”
My interest in this stems from my 2023 book with J. Cynthia McDermott called Democracy Deficit Disorder: Learning Democracy with Young People . In my research for the book, young people taught me that our definitions are still expanding, but more on that later.
In our book, Cynthia and I examine the reasons why young people are valid contributors to this conversation, and we explore ways young people are asserting their own definitions. If you’re interested in those conversations read the book or read more of my blog .
Actual Definitions
Here are some definitions of democracy. As you read, you’ll find I am not interested in cynical, typical or otherwise regular views within this conversation. This is an earnest exploration of different perceptions that I’m employing to explore my own findings, as elaborated on at the end.
The word democracy comes from the Greek words “demos”, meaning people, and “kratos” meaning power; so democracy can be thought of as “power of the people”: a way of governing which depends on the will of the people. — Google
This definition from Google introduces the Grecian roots of democracy as emphasized by white supremacists who insist that society invented the concept in antiquity.
Democracy (from Ancient Greek: δημοκρατ?α, romanized: dēmokratía, dēmos ‘people’ and kratos ‘rule’) is a system of government in which state power is vested in the people or the general population of a state. — Wikipedia
Reinforcing the Greek avatar, this popular definition from Wikipedia moves from the notion of governance to the function of government, recognizing the systemization of the activities within democracy.
Under a minimalist definition of democracy, rulers are elected through competitive elections while more expansive definitions link democracy to guarantees of civil liberties and human rights in addition to competitive elections. — Merriam-Webster
Again relying on authority, Merriam-Webster’s definition makes obvious the innate linkage of democracy and justice. Nearer to a universal definition, it does more to acknowledge individual roles within democracy.
Democracy can be seen as a set of practices and principles that institutionalize and thus ultimately protect freedom. — The Economist
Interestingly enough, this definition from The Economist focuses on systematic democracy hints at the practical nature of democracy by acknowledging its something to do not just believe.
The “classical” view of democracy is, “in brief, the theory that democracy is the rule of the people and that the people have a right to rule.” — Karl Popper
This snippy little exam from Popper repositions the governance aspect of democracy towards personal, individual action, acknowledging the relevance of democracy in individual lives rather than corporate collectivism.
“Democracy is a system in which citizens collectively decide by whom and, to some extent, how they will be governed.” — Adam Przeworski
A lot of people have defined democracy merely as a system of governance. As I’ll show, that’s neither an appropriate or effective way to approach the subject.
“…[A] system of government which embodies, in a variety of institutions and mechanisms, the ideal of political power based on the will of the people.” — Boutros Boutros-Ghali , former United Nations Secretary-General
Here, this titan of global politicking laid out the interconnectedness of individual action with the group benefits of democracy. This is an essential connection to understanding how young people embrace and enact democracy today.
“…[A] political system one of the characteristics of which is the quality of being completely or almost completely responsive to citizens.” — Robert Dahl
By wrestling with the individual’s role within political systems, Dahl begins to reveal the tension of different perceptions of democracy. The real strength of democracy as a system of governance lies within this tension, and its the struggle therein that could always engage, re-engage and empower young people to become active, empowered and sustained democratic agents.
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“Democracy is a form of governance in which the rights of citizens are guaranteed and protected. To protect the rights of its citizens and to deliver other basic services that citizens demand, a democratic government needs to be able to exercise effectively its claim to a monopoly of the legitimate use of force in its territory… A modern democracy, therefore, needs the effective capacity to command, to regulate, and to extract tax revenues. For this, it needs a functioning state with a bureaucracy considered usable by the new democratic government.” — Juan Linz and Alfred Stepan
Reappropriating the institutional role of democracy, Linz and Stepan struggle to make succinct the reciprocal nature of democracy in action. This challenge is that individuals need the institution of democracy in order to express it within their own lives. Again, this is at the heart of young peoples’ democratic engagement.
Ironically, its that hegemonic global monstrosity the World Bank that clearly enunciates a “normative indicator” of democracy that most closely alludes to what youth are looking for. They say democracy should embody:
“Voice and accountability: The extent to which a country’s citizens are able to participate in selecting their government, as well as freedom of expression, freedom of association, and a free media.” — World Bank
This isn’t completely there yet though, as it minimizes the relationship of the individual to the institution of government.
I believe the reason why so many have remained focused on the structural, institutional and governmental aspects of democracy for so long is that they simply could not grasp the innately personal aspects of democracy. This positions government as responsible for ensuring, maintaining and sustaining power over individuals instead of vice versa, in turn ensuring that ongoing tension that makes democracy stay alive.
This has been necessary because democracy is inherently fragile—its not particularly tough, resilient or indefatigable. As seen in the United States right now, democracy needs more than a pat on the back, simplistic care and feeding, or some kind of award for existing. Instead, it needs radical transformation everywhere, all of the time, for everyone involved.
Learning Democracy With Young People
Frank Thayer once wrote, “Each generation must win democracy for itself. Many young persons wish they might have lived in the historic and courageous time of George Washington, for example, when there were victories to be made and real history written. On the contrary, there are just as big problems today, and every opportunity for development.”
Through years of research and practice, I’ve found that youth today are continuously engaged in those big problems and developments, and they are meeting this challenge at every turn. However, our political, philosophical and operative definitions of democracy are not keeping up with the speed of the changes they’re making.
While my generation and those before me are worrying about institutions and structures, policies and rules, programs and procedures that are democratic, young people are taking practical, purposeful, operative and functioning steps to deeply enculturate democracy within themselves and throughout society. They are calling themselves to a higher ground, and while they are at it they’re bringing their families, organizations, communities, nations and our world with them.
We need definitions of democracy that correspond to their thinking, ideas, actions, wisdom and outcomes. Young people have shown me how they define democracy, and that’s why I define democracy as follows:
Democracy is the emphasis an individual or group has on engagement, freedom and equality. Whether through self-expression, group formation or collective action, democracy happens within and among people as well as throughout society in personal, cultural and structural ways. Democracy can happen anywhere for anything, at any time for any reason. Any person can share democracy.
If young people appear to be disaffected, disconnected, malcontent and disengaged from democracy, it is often because their definition of democracy does not square with your definition of democracy. This constantly happens in schools, at home, throughout communities and across the country. If you are routinely, expressively and continuously focused on the typical and traditional definitions explored above, you cannot blame youth for the downfall you propagated.
If we are to sustain democracy, grow or expand, or otherwise make democracy more of the norm, we have to stop exceptionalizing its existence by making it merely a structural or institutional activity. It can be accurately said that this approach to democracy is at fault for fostering the democracy deficit disorder itself.
Instead, we have to see, embrace and expand its function as a societal norm, a cultural constant and a regular function of daily living. This can happen in a lot of ways, as Cynthia and I explain in our book, Democracy Deficit Disorder: Learning Democracy with Young?People .
Until we do that, we’ll keep living with the deficit, which in turn leads to the demise and eventual downfall of the very function we claim to love. We can do better than that.
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About the Author
Adam F.C. Fletcher is an advocate, educator and researcher focused on engaging people throughout society. The author of more than 50 publications, he has consulted more than 500 organizations on engagement, spoken at many conferences and worked directly with more than 1,000,000 people in communities worldwide. For more information visit adamfletcher.net .