What happens when you take a group of colleagues of differing ages, genders, and backgrounds and ask them to co-author a blog about democracy?
Well, for starters, you get a whole lot of opinions about how the blog should be run. What type of header we should create, what topics should be discussed, and the style of writing we should use were all up for debate. Even what I thought would be a simple task – selecting a name for the blog – turned into a weeks-long back and forth amongst the team about the pros and cons of every imaginable combination of words that has something to do with democracy. Seeing as how the team elected me to be the coordinator of this new initiative, I’ve definitely had my hands full.
But there is at least one thing we all agree on for sure: democracy is the responsibility of everyone. It is more that just abstract ideals in a constitution or legal code (although these documents do provide a stable framework for democratic activity), it is part of everyday life, it is a bottom-up process, and it needs citizens who are engaged. Democracy deserves to be debated.
And in the end, a group of bloggers who aren’t afraid to speak their minds and never shy away from a discussion is exactly what we’re looking for. More importantly, we hope our readers will do the same. After all, By the People doesn’t just refer to the bloggers, it refers to you as well. We want to talk with you, debate with you, and share stories with you. We want you to help us give democracy the conversation it deserves. Welcome!
Dear, I am not residing in America. But closely watching how America functions.In spite of many mistakes Bush made he never went astray with the code of American spirit of Democracy. I value America for it is the only nation where Government is appreciative of criticism and answering it. I wish that should be maintained by Barrack Obama’s reign also.
Welcome, Murugesan! Thank you for joining the conversation.
I agree with you that Democracy is everyone’s responsibility and it that needs citizens who are engaged. However, I would not use the word debate because if democracy is debated, than it devalues democracy and its very principles. I think everyone can share what democracy means to them and how we can protect, support, advance and sustain it.
Dear, I am not in America. Everyone realises that recession is a big obstacle before us. First this needs to be unturned to start moving forward, then growth prospects are analyzed and good path chosen to achieve greater success. For Leaders like Obama, who is a universally accepted good Leader capable of taking fast decisions, anything is possible.
Subject Peace and Prosperity
Dear Barak Obama
I Aghadilbar have sent Mr President 100 registered research
Letters (100 new ideas to develop America) through Embassy of USA
ISLAMABAD till today dated 23.4.2009 (and also direct sent these registered
Letters to WHITEHOUSE WASHINGTON DC 20500).These letters have been written on the guidelines of CHANGE WE NEED. And
These letters are about the Common men Problems of respected American Peoples and their
Solutions. (To end, Economic Recession, Unemployment and to finish War for
Peace and prosperity) Dear Barak Obama, Provide an opportunity to Aghadilbar to pay an official
Visit to America. (In this connection I am waiting for your Email response dated 10.2.2009.)
Please Confirm Aghadilbar (founder)
INTERNATIONAL REVOLUTION MOVEMENT
(Personally identifying information removed)
Living in America, I can tell you that the American government may as well be a dictatorship, and you have NO rights as a citizen!
IN India, the largest democracy in the world, we had a generation of people, who sacrificed their lives for freedom fight, and they heralded democracy in this land.
The next generation activated the process of democracy in true spirit. Democracy is becoming more and more participative.The new generation and the succeeding ones need to be educated about the sacrifices of the waning generation as well as the values of this form of governance and living.
Hi B.R., thank you for your observations on democracy in India. I have recently been interested to see news reports about elections there. You mention passing values onto the next generation. What is your country currently doing to educate the new generations about democratic values?
Democracy contains a very pure meaning in this world but in the name of Democracy people are playing dirty games with the people. There are lots of educated people in this world who knows Democracy very well but, I think, those people who are not educated, knows the true value of Democracy. The democratic values should be raised form the villages of the different nations, I mean not top to bottom but bottom to top. So the people, who are on the top, will not dare to play dirty games with the people who are in the bottom.
jaihind!jaiworld! good day,goodluck!
Merely & lightly if we look the word it gives us very serious meaning to serve the people socially and politically. But the democracy at present working for the capitalist people forming the political parties and controlling the constituions and making the higher platforms to which general people could not reach their and shouts to people that all is well nobody is remaining unsatisfied follow us and support us to form the gvernment. But dears this is not a democracy till we able to create how to unite people socially, how to develop social system which could back up properly the political system based on democracy. Casting votes to this capitalist party or another and see the good days will come soon when this or that party would come to power will never solve the people’s problem.
We should very well now that the democracy runs through the REPRESENTATIVE RIGHT AND THE VOTING RIGHT. THIS TWO RIGHTS HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO COMMON PEOPLE BUT UNFORTUNETELY THOSE PARTY PEOPLE CONSTITUTED THE CONSTITUTIONAL RULES THEY SAFEGUARDED THEIR SELF INTEREST AND MADE DEEP ROOTS INSIDE THE ELECTION COMMISSION. THE ELECTION COMMISSION ROLE IS TO CONSTRUCT THE VOTER LIST AND ASK PEOPLE TO GIVE MANDATE INFAVOUR OR AGAINST THE POLITICAL INSTITUION. THE PRESENT WORLD CONSTITUIONS HAVE THE GREAT PROBLEMS INSIDE THEIR ELECTION COMMISSION ACT TO RECOGNISED THE CAPITALIST POLITICAL PARTIES TO FIGHT ELECTION IN THIS WAY THE PRESENT DEMOCRACY TRANSFORMED COMPLETELY INTO CAPITALIST DEMOCRACY NOW TODAY IT IS THE DUTY OF EVERY WELL JUDGE PEOPLE THAT THEY OPEN THEIR EYE AND ASK THE REPRESENTTIVE RIGHT DIRECTLY FROM THE CONSTITUTION WITH THE PROVISION OF PEOPLE’S COMMISSION. WE REQUIRE TWO WAY ROADS TO ENTER INTO DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL INSTITUIONS AND BY THE MANDATE OF PEOPLE THESE POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS COULD BE DISMANTLE AND FREE IMPARTIAL PEOPLE FROM THE UNITED SOCIETY ENTER AGAIN TO SERVE THE PEOPLE. THE PARTY RULE IS NOT THE PEOPLE’S RULE. THE PEOPLE RULE COMPLETELY DEPENDED UPON THE SOCIAL UNITY BASED ON SOCIAL SYSTEM FUNDED TO RUN BY THE EARNERS DONATIONS TO GIVE PEOPLE FREE EDUCATION, FUND BUSINESSES, MEDICAL SERVICES, FOOD HOMES ETC. aLL RICH AND POOR PEOPLE GET THE SERVICES EQUALLY FROM THE SOCIETY. ALL SOCIAL WELFARE IS NOT THE STATE’S JOB BUT THE SOCIETY’S JOB. SOCIETY HAS GIVEN THE STATE TO LOOK OVER THEM IF ANY THING GOING WRONG THEN THE STATE SHOULD INTERFARE AND HANDLE THE SITUATION. BUT THE CAPITALIST LED PARTY GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN OVER EVERYTHING AND THE RESULT PRESENT WORLD IS SEEING FEW HANDS COULD NOT RUN THE WHEEL OF THE SUN IT REQUIRE EVERYBODIES CONTRIBUTION.
Democracy is when I own stock in GM and the Federal Government steps in and “seizes” my share of the company and appoints its own Board and CEO.
Democracy is when An American Embassy in a foreign country can tell me if I am in love with my fiancee, and cannot marry!
Democracy is when 80% of the people are against Bail-outs and the government does what it pleases.
Democracy is when the government opens fire on students in Kent State.
Democracy is when Elected officials from the local level to the federal level ignore the people that elected them and only line their pockets with kick backs and pensions, and other perks,for agreeing to the special interest pressures.
Remember,Campagin contributions are bribes. Big business owns you. You are taught just enough in school to do your job, and not complain.
This is the American Way. You must be asleep to fulfill your American Dream.
jaihind! jai world! goodday,goodluck!
The comments on democracy is very well understaood by those people who are mentally impartial to what they see in the society & the nation. How the present democracy is working for common people, How it is supporting the wasted interest in the society & the nation.
The present world people & and those who have enter the present capitalist democratic system and holding the political, social & economic firm status, they have the duty to further understand the democracy and clear all obstacles which is coming in the way to form the people’s democratic leadership in the political institutions. The democracy is not the game of winning & defeat. The democratic rights are for all citizens, but the social system highly recommended to get any success if people want to see through the democratic leadership. Why the hunger, poverty, corruption, anger, cruality, crime, protest, strike, voilence, bloody wars and terrorist fears are there in the world soceity because the capitalist rich people somehow wanted to control the poltical power through the democratic voting system to pecify the people through the constitutional people oriented social & political programmes and able to control the regional, and after that whole world market to earn huge profits ignoring the social duty towards the society.
To solve the problem and make democracy really work for the people, the party people honestly give back the constitution to common people, so that common people able to use the political right of representation directly from the constitution & collect themselves in the political institution to give people impartial leadership.
All people are living in the so called society if the society doesn’t has the system to give all kinds of social services to people then some self interested people crip in to take advantage of week society. So today we all should awake and fund the society to make it strong so that political system works batter to defeat all negetive forces in the world working against the humanity & mankind with united social support. Taxes never solve the people problems if taxes alone satisfy the administration of the government I would be happy the small amount has done something.
jaihind! jai world! goodday, goodluck!
The democracy is very serious rule of the people but it should not turn over to back the capitalist lobbies but unfortunately this has happened with the true democracy and the result is in front of the world people.
No region is spare of war, violence, crime, economic malfunctioning, social degradation, unable to stop poverty, hunger, illiteracy and many other social issues which are completely ignored by the capitalist party led governments of the world.
G-8 countries held a summit in Rome what comes out of it nothing but huge amount of money dispatch.
When these capitalist back leaders learn that the political system in which all discussions are going on is itself is very small & short and it could able to deliver hundred percent to common people without the proper social system’s support.
The social system is the backbone of any political move if this bone is not their in world’s capitalist democratic system then social crime & hate soon become the big problem to handle by the world governments & economic insecurity among the people and the government also facing the consequences of it.
The ANSWER OF ALL THESE IS SIMPLE BUT ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN TO RESTORE THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL SYSTEM TO PROVIDE SOCIAL BENEFITS TO COMMON PEOPLE & PEOPLE’S DEMOCRACY WORK WITH THE FREE CONSTITUTION AND THE CAPITALIST PEOPLE ARE AS IMPORTANT MEMBER OF THE SOCIETY BUT AT PRESENT THEY ARE IGNORING IT WOULD GET TO SPREAD THEIR BUSINESS WORLD WIDE WITHOUT ANY KIND OF OBSTACLES. BUT AGAIN THE RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE, LEADERS, PROFESSIONALS BUSINESS COMMUNITIES SHOULD SUPPORT THE MOVE OF SOCIAL SYSTEM & PEOPLE’S DEMOCRACY.
what more do u want ? all we need to do is to pray for dos in power ok not kining them? really we need to
Nicely Put! I live in a country where democracy is highly respected as our conduct ways of living, this is the very basic and solid ground to build a strong building in the future.
Without democracy we will live in a dictatorial regime where a lot of people will suffer for not being able to expressing their thoughts and feelings!
I support democracy all the way!
Jonas
Freebies
Democracy to me is being born in a middle class family. TO people who were well read and not necssarily well degreed. To come from that, be educated, build my own business, buy property and secure a good education for my child. I don’t know about the democracy some of you are commenting about. You see, I was taught never to let an outside person set my limits for me. And no one ever suceeded in setting limits for me. When the Government temporarily takes over so the entire world doesn’t fall apart. I am grateful. And when GM begins paying back those loans, as they now are, I am also greatful. I guess it depends upon how much freedon one wants to exercise, as to how much one feels like they are living in a democracy…
I am not certain that you understand the difference between socialism and democracy. Unfortunately, democracy only guarantees peoples rights. It does not guarantee people will have benefits or medcial care, and while not everyone likes that, it DOES guarantee that EVERYONE has the right to become whatever they want. They have the right to work hard, save their money, become wealthy and partake in all that entails.
Or they have the right not to do any of those things. There are people who are born to poverty, and stay there. And there are people who are born into poverty and work their way up to become wealthy. The right for everyone to follow their own path and to participate in their government is all that democracy gives us.