Who Created Democracy? The History of a Revolutionary Concept
The concept of democracy has captivated the collective imagination of citizens, leaders and philosophers for centuries. Throughout history, powerful empires and oppressive regimes have clashed with the idea of democracy and its promise to provide greater power and autonomy to individuals and groups. But who created democracy? To answer this age-old question, it is important to look at the history of democracy and how it has evolved to become one of the most popular and widespread form of governance today.
The Ancient Roots of Democracy
The origins of democracy can be found in ancient Greece, with the city-state of Athens often cited as a historical example. During the 5th century BC, Athens became the first society in the Western world to exercise a functioning government based on shared power and consensus. This system was known as demokratia – a combination of two Greek words ‘demos’ (people) and ‘kratia’ (government). It is this blend of two terms that gave birth to our modern-day understanding of democracy and what it stands for.
The Ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle, provided an invaluable contribution with his ideas and theories on the subject of democracy. In his works “Politics” and “The Athenian Republic”, Aristotle maintained that democracy was the ideal form of government and should be based on the principle of ‘rule by the people’ – with citizens having the right to participate in governmental decisions, and elect their leaders by popular vote.
The Founding of the United States
The seeds of democracy were also present in the founding of the United States of America. The United States was founded with the idea that all citizens should have the right to a political voice and to take part in the democratic process. This concept was enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution, which provided a formal framework for the functioning of a federal republic.
Through the U.S. Constitution, American citizens acquired the right to elect their own representatives and to participate in the ongoing development of their government. It is this document, signed by the founding fathers in 1787, that we credit with forging a new type of democracy – one that is rooted in the idea of popular sovereignty.
The Founders of Liberal Democracy
The 19th century saw the birth of a new version of democracy, known as liberal democracy. This new brand of democracy was widely championed by a group of influential intellectuals, politicians and writers known as the ‘Liberty Boys’. Included in this group were Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mill, and John Locke – who are credited with providing the theoretical foundations of liberal democracy.
These thinkers advocated a form of government that was based on the principles of individual rights and autonomy. They argued that every individual should have a say in matters of politics, economics and social issues. They also believed that the process of election and appointment of representatives should be accompanied by measures of fair representation, as well as the idea that all citizens should have equal access to basic human rights.
The Rise of Mass Democracy
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, democracy grew from a small peripheral concept to the mainstream way of governance in many countries. Political theorists such as Robert Michels, J.S. Mill, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau began to challenge the traditional monarchies, advocating for a more inclusive and egalitarian form of governance in which citizens had a say in running their government.
This new wave of democracy is often referred to as ‘mass democracy’ – with citizens having the power to directly elect their leaders and to make decisions within their community. This spurred countries around the globe to implement democratic reforms, either through gradual reforms or, in some cases, through revolution.
The Concept of Representative Democracy
Today, most democratic nations adhere to the concept of representative democracy – where citizens elect officials to represent them in the day-to-day decision-making process. These representatives are elected through a system of direct elections, and then tasked with the responsibility of making decisions on behalf of the citizens they represent.
This model of democracy is founded on the idea that citizens have a right to a say in government, while also allowing officials to specialize in certain policy fields and make informed decisions on their behalf. It can be argued that this approach has enabled governments to increase the transparency and accountability of their decision-making, as well as to broaden the scope of the issues which elected officials are allowed to consider.
To answer the question of who created democracy, it is important to look at the centuries of political thought that have gone into the evolution of this revolutionary concept. The first instance of democracy occurred during the 5th Century BC in Ancient Greece, although the formalization of the concept only occurred with the U.S. Constitution in 1787. During the 19th and 20th century, philosophers and thinkers such as Jeremy Bentham and Jean-Jacques Rousseau helped to strengthen the concept of liberal democracy.
Today, the model of representative democracy is the most popular form of democracy, as citizens are tasked with the duty of electing representatives to represent their interests and to make decisions on their behalf. Ultimately, democracy is a concept that has been nurtured, studied and improved upon throughout the ages, resulting in a form of government in which citizens are heretofore unheard of levels of autonomy and power.
