ELECTION AND REPRESENTATION
In a large and diverse country, it is impractical for each citizen to participate directly in the decision-making process. This would lead to inefficiency and chaos. As such, representatives are chosen by the citizens to voice their concerns and make decisions on their behalf. This system is commonly known as representative democracy.
Direct Democracy: Citizens have a direct hand in law-making and decision-making. This is feasible in smaller communities where everyone can have their say. Ancient Greek city-states, where decisions were made in assemblies, is an example. Gram sabhas or village councils in India can also be considered a form of direct democracy.
Indirect Democracy: In larger nations, direct democracy becomes unwieldy. Here, representatives are elected to make decisions on behalf of their constituents. The citizens’ main role is to choose these representatives through the election process.
If representatives make the major decisions, the process through which they are chosen becomes crucial. The method must be transparent, fair, and reflect the genuine will of the people.