Democratic Intervention

"Democracy is one of the most important principles for
a better world. In its truest sense, a democracy is a

community in which all members have an equal say in
the running of that community. Unfortunately in reality,
democratic societies have fallen short of this ideal.
Nevertheless, because of its very nature, once a
democracy is established, its citizens can work
together to make their society more and more
democratic, if they choose to do so."
– Robert Alan Silverstein
CHAPTER V: DEMOCRATIC
INTERVENTIONS
Lesson 1
DEMOCRACY: Models, Elements,
Practices, and Intervention
LEARNING TARGETS:
a. DEFINE DEMOCRACY AND ITS MODELS

b. EXAMINE THE EFFECTS OF UNDEMOCRATIC PRACTICES IN THE PHILIPPINES
JCP
APRIL 2021
DEMOCRACY
• Derived from Greek words “demos” (people) and “kratos” (rule)
• It adheres to the rule of the people
• It provides people the right to exercise some form of genuine control over the
government
• Under a democratic government, the protection of individual liberties, the conduct of

free elections, and the assurance of political equality are safeguarded by the state.
• In a democracy, people collectively exercise equal rights to participate in the decision-

making processes.
DEMOCRACY MODELS
• Helena Catt (1999) identifies three models of

democracy.
 PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY
 DIRECT DEMOCRACY
 REPRESENTATIVE/LIBERAL DEMOCRACY
PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY
• People rule through the collective discussion of issues that need to be
debated.
• They discuss and take into considerations as well as the possible

solutions to the problem until such time that an arrangement on the
best solution or option for the group is achieved.
• In this model of democracy, decisions and solutions are agreed upon

and made by all the members without resorting to a vote.
MAJOR COMPONENTS OF PARTICIPATORY DEMOCRACY
• All members has the opportunity to raise an issue, provide possible

solutions to the problem and take part in the crafting of the final
decision.
• The issues are discussed during face-to-face meetings.
• There is much discussion involved in addressing the problem and

anyone who wants to join can contribute to the discussion.
• Members want consensus.

DIRECT DEMOCRACY
• It has an element of proximity because people

assemble in a particular venue.
• It has an element of directness because people

decide for their community together and directly
without the use of formal mediation.
• It is also shown in referendums
• Political scientists call it referendum democracy.
REFERENDUM – refers to a particular vote on a particular

issue in which outcome or decision is reached directly
through people’s vote.
RA 6735 People’s Initiative and Referendum Act (1989)
- People can directly propose, enact, approve or

reject, in whole or in part, the Constitution, laws,
ordinances, resolutions, passed by any legislative
body upon compliance with the requirements.
REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY
• It requires the election of a few members who are

responsible for the people. These people are
chosen by the electorate as their representatives in
government and thus answerable to the people by
making such decisions.
• It is the most common model of democracy followed
by governments
• People vote during election time in order to choose a

new set of national and local leaders
• The newly-elected government leaders exercise

political power
ELEMENTS OF REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY
1. Popular support of government
2. Political competition
3. Alternation of power
4. Popular representation
5. Majority rule
6. Recognition of rights to dissent and disobedience
7. Political equality
8. Popular consultation
9. Free press
ACTIVITY 19: UNDEMOCRATIC PRACTICES
• Explain creatively the ill effects of undemocratic

practices related to factors such as gender
biases, poverty, racial inequality, cultural
domination, crisis of representation and politics
of recognition.
CHAPTER V: DEMOCRATIC
INTERVENTIONS
Democracy and the Exercise of Civil and
Political Rights
LEARNING TARGET:
a. DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS IN A
DEMOCRACY
JCP
APRIL 2021
DEMOCRACY AND THE EXERCISE OF
CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS
People enjoy freedom of religion, movement, assembly,

association, expression, and information. They also
exercise their rights to personal security, protection against
arbitrary detention, and right to fair trial.
COMPONENTS OF A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT
1. RULE OF LAW
2. BASIC RIGHTS AND FREEDOM
3. ELECTIONS
4. DIVISION OF POWER
CIVIL SOCIETY
• Defined as intermediate organizations in between the

primary units of society that includes individuals, families,
clans, ethnic groups, and the governmental agencies and
institutions.
RISE OF GLOBAL CIVIL SOCIETY
• This rise is attributed to the following:
 Increasing threats of nuclear, biological and

chemical warfare to humanity
PRIMARY REASONS
The worldwide dangers of disasters, diseases,
political and social injustice, discrimination,
environmental degradation and poverty
POLITICAL CORRUPTION
• Dissatisfaction of citizens with their governments include:
a. failure to meet their basic needs that create profound insecurities
b. failure to protect them from the sweeping winds of economic change

where they lose their customs and traditions
c. failure to involve its citizens in its policies and programs.

Basic Needs
• Failure to meet basic needs is a common
complaint among many societies in the world
today. There was a growing gulf between rich
and poor droving the former to extra-legal
activities such as theft and prostitution.
Association
• Undemocratic practices undermine the traditional bonds of
family and kinship threatened by the pressures of work,
urbanization and migration. The distancing of government
concerns from the lives of ordinary people weakened
customary forms of accountability and led to a highly corrupt,
self-seeking, inefficient, and state.
Participation
• Citizens play they part by (1) engaging in collective
action to perform voluntary work with others in order to
tackle problems and (2) participating in political
processes to play an active role in relation to the state in
order to ensure that the state opened itself up to the
influence of citizens.
ACTIVITY 20: DISCUSS IT.
Why are civil society and political rights important

in a democratic state?

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"Democracy is one of the most important principles for

a better world. In its truest sense, a democracy is a

a. DEFINE DEMOCRACY AND ITS MODELS

• It adheres to the rule of the people

• Under a democratic government, the protection of individual liberties, the conduct of

• In a democracy, people collectively exercise equal rights to participate in the decision-

• Helena Catt (1999) identifies three models of

• They discuss and take into considerations as well as the possible

• In this model of democracy, decisions and solutions are agreed upon

• All members has the opportunity to raise an issue, provide possible

• The issues are discussed during face-to-face meetings.

• There is much discussion involved in addressing the problem and

• Members want consensus.

• It has an element of proximity because people

• It has an element of directness because people

• Political scientists call it referendum democracy.

REFERENDUM – refers to a particular vote on a particular

- People can directly propose, enact, approve or

• It requires the election of a few members who are

• People vote during election time in order to choose a

• The newly-elected government leaders exercise

• Explain creatively the ill effects of undemocratic

People enjoy freedom of religion, movement, assembly,

• Defined as intermediate organizations in between the

• This rise is attributed to the following:

 Increasing threats of nuclear, biological and

a. failure to meet their basic needs that create profound insecurities

b. failure to protect them from the sweeping winds of economic change

c. failure to involve its citizens in its policies and programs.

Why are civil society and political rights important

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