Doctrine of liberal and pluralistic democracy

In public consciousness of democracy is equated with democracy. This form of government in terms of the mechanism of expression of popular sovereignty serves as a direct and representative democracy. The first involves the direct expression of associations of individuals - government officials - or those of the life of this association, such as the referendum. Apparatus of power will take the role of organizer and guarantor of the general will. It is determined by people power takes the political decision, specifying and protecting the public will. Representative democracy assumes that the main decisions taken by the authorized representatives of the People's Assembly (parliament, the National Assembly, the Congress) are elected government officials. This representative institutions, their activities are controlled by associations [7, 215].

Different theoretical solution contradictions between the ideal of democracy and its reality is meaning the existence of diverse concepts of democracy. Historically, the first such concept and form of its practical implementation was a classical liberal democracy, which is the most comprehensive measure is based on the principles of democracy (equality, freedom, popular participation in state government, majoritarism, civic consensus, elected government, protection of minorities).

The main idea of liberalism - the idea of ​individual freedom. According to her liberal democracy to the forefront of putting civil liberties like privacy of an individual's independence from political power. Ensuring civil freedom is based primarily on the implementation of individual rights and freedoms of the individual: the right to life and personal immunity, freedom and resistance to violence, property rights and free economic activity, freedom of private life - the inviolability of home and privacy of correspondence, freedom of movement and choice accommodation and so on. But the presence of individual political rights and freedoms gives him the opportunity to participate in the exercise of state power to influence the state to meet the personal and common interests and needs.

Liberal democracy does not deny the will of the people directly, but prefer representative democracy that allows the most complete way to combine the ideal of democracy and the possibility of its practical implementation. Accordingly, democracy understood as a responsible government, government can make decisions and bear responsibility for them. The main elements of representative democracy, constitutionality and defined limits of political domination. So called liberal democracy still a constitutional democracy in which the will of the people shown do not fully and openly, directly, but delegated to representatives who are in the process of political decision-making that will express themselves and under own responsibility.

The essence of liberal democracy in concentrated form was reflected in the proposed U. S. President Abraham Lincoln's formula: government of the people, by the people, for the people (government of the people, elected by the people and for people).

Characterized by emphasis on individual freedom of liberalism leads to social polarization of society, the aggravation of class struggle, generates political instability, etc. [6].

Designed to overcome the shortcomings of liberalism concept of a pluralistic democracy (from Lat. Pluralis - plural) as a kind of modern liberal democracy. Such a democracy is based on consideration of all the plurality, diversity of social interests. The main feature is its open nature of decision-making through representative government. Adoption of the authorities or those making under such conditions is the result of interaction and competition among various political forces, especially political parties and diverse interest groups.

The concept of a pluralistic democratic political system of society is considered as a mechanism that balances the interests of class, ethnic, demographic, professional, regional, religious and similar groups and organizations. Each of them affects the policy-making, but none have a monopoly. There dribnennya political power between state and public institutions. Various social interests, the interests of workers zokremai so closely considered. If it is any social group believes that what politics does not correspond to its interests, it has the ability to pursue an open discussion of relevant issues and take the necessary political decisions.

concept democracy political proletarian

The concept of a pluralist democracy was the most powerful in the 60's - early 70's of XX century. At first glance, pluralistic democracy - a democracy for all. However, it is not devoid of some drawbacks. One of them is that for the interests and needs of certain social groups such as youth, women or the poorest, a real equal opportunities for their participation in the exercise of state power to these groups to provide certain benefits and privileges. But fixing any privileges and benefits for these or those social groups contradicts one of the basic principles of democracy - equality of all citizens before the law. Expansion of actual equality jeopardizes a fundamental principle of democracy as freedom.

In addition, the concept of pluralistic democracy absolyutyzuye opportunities for political representation of social interests through political parties and organizations as diverse interest groups. Ordinary members of parties and NGOs really play a secondary role in them, and the main decisions adopted by their leaders, and not always for the same rank and file members.

Finally, the facility itself is unreal conception of pluralist democracy that the whole population will be represented in the parties and interest groups, these associations are equal in their political influence. The greatest influence on policy in countries with developed market economies have a variety of business entities, especially national, sectoral and cross-industry associations. They have tremendous material and financial resources to influence the authorities. Appreciable influence on politics and trade unions have, which are the most massive organizations of employees.

One of the attempts to get out of the contradictions of the theory of pluralist democracy is the theory formulated by R. Dahl polyarchy - a multiplicity of power centers, and hence the elite groups in a democratic society. This implies that instead of a single center of sovereign power should be plurality of such centers, none of which can not be fully sovereign. Democratic is a system where the government dispersed power in contrast to the few - the dictatorship.

R. Dahl believes that the term "democracy" is suitable only for the characteristics of an ideal society. Valid state system that approaches the ideal state - a polyarchy. Of course, such a system is not without faults compared with democracy. But it is better than most unlimited authority or power elite. Overall, according to Robert Dahl, Democracy and autocracy is more or less theoretical education. In final form, they actually never been implemented.

Polyarchy doctrine comes from the fact that, according to the requirements of liberal democracy, consensus and political equality must be active and such developing countries. To do this, every citizen should have an inalienable right to formulate and demonstrate publicly whom he prefers. That is what increases the possibility of guaranteeing equality in the governance of society.

Polyarchy enhances and complements the principles of democracy. Office of the majority is due to the improvement of people's representation, stronger guarantees of minority rights, the use of electoral and other devices to control the majority of representatives, eliminating various kinds of political inequality [4].