Authentic Democracy and Representation: An Evaluative Essay

This essay analyzes the principle of authentic democracy and its compatibility with representation in the current political environment. It critiques democratic representation, examining the fundamental structure and practical implementation of democracy, including the differences between Procedural and Authentic Democracy. The essay also addresses the role of youth perception and its effect on political conflicts, using examples of various democratic approaches. It argues that while authentic democracy aims to provide basic needs to citizens, its implementation faces challenges due to corruption and ideological conflicts. The essay concludes that removing misconceptions about democracy through transparent understanding can lead society towards stability, and that incorporating authentic democracy-influenced judicial practices can foster a stable political environment.

Running head: DIVERSITY DEMOCRACY DISSENT
Authentic Democracy and Compatibility with Representation
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Democracy is a governing inspiration where citizens have the privilege of electing
their representative as the government in an independent and liberal environment (Blühdorn
2013). In this paper, the principle of authentic democracy has been analysed with its
compatibility in the current political environment throughout the globe. Criticising the
democratic representation is another aspect of this paper. The fundamental structure and
practical implementation of democracy have been analysed with its operational classification
and implementation. The position of youth perception and its effect on current political
conflicts has been criticised in this paper with an appropriate example of various democratic
approaches. The fundamental, practical and conceptual differences between Procedural
Democracy and Authentic Democracy have been discussed to find the most applicable
modification of modern politics.
Democracy is a system of governing a nation by empowering the citizen’s rights and
decision making within any operational field of the government. In more simple approach,
democracy is a governing idea where citizens have the right to elect their government in an
independent and liberal environment (Cohen and Allen 2013). However, there are some
ideological conflicts among various definitions of proper democratic practices. Moreover, the
democratic practice allows the common people to select their representatives as a governing
body to rule the nation as per the boundaries of respective constitutions. However,
Democracy does not only mean free and independent election system. Rather, appreciating
the privileges of common citizens and their rights in every aspect of governing the nation is
the pillar of the democratic approach. From the early stage of modern civilization, democracy
had a different way of exposure (Cooke 2018). Democratic structure of each nation is
individual considering individual national and cultural identities.
As per the most modern democratic approaches, democracy is more related to
participation of people, human rights, rules of low and constitutional practices rather than

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focusing on the elective power of the people. This diverted implementation is causing
frequent political and socio-cultural chaos across the world. Legal equality, political freedom,
and constitutional rule are the three main pillar of a democratic nation. On the other hand,
other parts of the human civilization also include the judicial review as a part of their
democratic structure.
Democracy can be classified into two ideological approaches namely Procedural
Democracy and Authentic Democracy. Procedural democracy is largely related to capitalist
democracy, while authentic democracy is more emphasised on direct approach of socialised
democracy (Foster 2013). For both of these practices, corruption can make meaning of
democracy nothing but an empty slogan. Procedural democracy is more emphasised on the
bill of rights and protect minorities. However, authentic democracy encourages the
independent and liberal civilisation having equal legal and economical constraints. Authentic
democracy is more focused providing basic needs of citizens like health, food, shelter and
education in exchange for very less amount of domestic value (Gardiner et al. 2014).
From the age of evaluated monarchy system, the authentic democracy has been
dominated by other democratic ideologies. However, according to some researcher, only
democracy cannot provide political and personal freedom unless the institutions of civil
society are also present. Most of the western countries follow the democratic approach of
Parliamentary sovereignty while maintaining judicial independence (Mirra et al. 2013).
However, other parts of the human civilization also include the judicial review as a part of
their democratic structure. Authentic democracy is possible only in presence of constitutional
laws and the basis of the proper conception of political and governing approaches.
Recently, there is a tendency of claiming the agnosticism and sceptical relativism
implementing the philosophy and the fundamental approach correspond to democratic forms

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of political structure. From the Democratic point of view since the ultimate social decisions
cannot be acceptable which is determined by the majority, it will be considered as a subject to
variation according to different political trends (Rizvi 2013). According to the history, a
democracy without values and constitution can easily transfer into biased and disguised
totalitarianism. Removing misconception of democracy in youth by transparent
understanding of origin to an implementation of democratic approaches can lead the society
towards the ideal stability. Some of the researchers claim that authentic democracy is the
most direct and proper approach to democracy. However in terms of implementation of
authentic democracy has been proven wrong throughout the history of democratic revolution.
The concept of authentic democracy is simpler, while it is more complex for
executing within a cosmopolitan environment. However, most of the cases the significant
distractions come from the elected government and major political groups (Schusler and
Krasny 2015). Lack of concept about democracy and ideological conflict within
constitutional practices are the major causes of this operational failure. On the other hand,
some of the democratic countries have successfully implemented the authentic democracy
within a particular period of history. Ancient Athens is one of the ideal examples of direct or
authentic democracy where the governing body voted themselves on major factors. The
majority of assembly's vote decided most of the court case in Ancient Athens.
According to some experts, authentic democracy or direct democracy is not
implemented anywhere in the worlds. Rather, the idea of democracy has been converted into
liberalist oligarchy. This diverted implementation is causing frequent political and socio-
cultural chaos throughout the globe (Shiller 2013). Preventive liberal execution of
constitutional rules and election system are making this whole situation more complicated
leading towards the ultimate destruction. However, there is no optimum implementation of a
democratic approach to stop the beginning of political annihilation. The stability of this

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political imbalance is possible only in presence of proper conception of political and
governing approaches amongst the young generation of the globe.
On the other hand, incorporating youth in a political movement is not the ideal way to access
this stability. Rather, removing misconception of democracy by transparent understanding of
origin to the implementation of democratic approaches can lead the society towards the ideal
stability (Taft and Gordon 2013). The moral and cultural simplicity can be the only way to
teach the new generation about effective and unbiased democratic system. The human
civilization should also include the authentic democracy influenced judicial practices as a part
of their democratic structure in order to hold the stable political environment irrespective of
any geographical and demographical differences.
As per the above discussion, it can be said, that the fundamental structure and
practical implementation of democracy can be classified according to its operational
classification and implementation. However, for both Procedural Democracy and Authentic
Democracy practices, corruption can make meaning of democracy nothing but an empty
slogan. On the other hand, conceptual lack of democracy and ideological conflict within
constitutional practices are the major causes of this operational failure. However, some of the
democratic countries have successfully implemented the authentic democracy within the
certain period of history. Moreover, authentic democracy is more focused providing basic
needs of citizens like health, food, shelter and education in exchange for very less amount of
domestic value. From the above discussion, it can be stated that only democracy cannot
provide political and personal freedom unless the institutions of civil society are also present.
Therefore, removing misconception of democracy by a clear understanding of origin to the
implementation of democratic approaches can lead the society towards the ideal stability.

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Cohen, E. and Allen, A., 2013. Toward an ideal democracy: The impact of standardization
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Cooke, M., 2018. Five arguments for deliberative democracy. In Democracy as public
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Foster, D.L., 2013. The nature of authentic governance: A treatise on democratic rhetoric
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