Liberalism - Why do liberalists place so much emphasis on democracy Essay

Liberalism - Why do liberalists place so much emphasis on democracy Does that make sense How important is democracy in international relations. Use examples - Essay Example Decision making in a democracy is based on majority rule and the rights of the minorities are protected. A democratic government guarantees equality of all citizens, freedom of speech, assembly and religion, among others. Liberal states are not necessarily democratic (Bobbio 2006: 1). Liberalists strongly emphasize on democracy. The concentration of power and wealth among few people in the society is not good as it brings about many social evils. Democracy has various benefits. It ensures that all citizens are treated equally before the law. It also gives every citizen the right to power. Therefore, anyone can seek an elective post in government. Democracy helps in distributing power to the people. It allows disgruntled voters to vote to change the leadership. A few years ago, democracy used to exist in Western Europe and Northern America only while the other states were not democratic or liberal. However, today many states are democratic. Democracy is the basis for economic and social development. It enhances the development of a nation by making leaders accountable, and therefore helps in fighting vices like corruption. Inefficient leaders are voted out by the electorate and if the leaders who replace them wish to stay in power, they have to meet the expectatio ns of the public. Failure to perform will lead to ouster from office in the next election. Democracy also helps in the even distribution of wealth (Bobbio 2006: 38). The wealthy conservatives in power dislike democracy because they see it as a way to help the poor to rob the rich. However, liberalists maintain that without democracy, the poor are exploited by the rich. Liberalism is concerned with limiting the powers of the government. Democracy considers the opinion of the majority as the only criteria to ensure that the government powers are legitimate. Liberalists strongly advocate the strengthening of democratic institutions. They advocate national referendums, compulsory voting, comprehensive