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The Meaning of Democracy: A Lebanese Adolescent Perspective

In: Globalisation, Democratisation and Radicalisation in the Arab World

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  • Patricia Velde Pederson

Abstract

Democracy is often touted as a highly valued form of government; however, defining what democracy means proves difficult and often it becomes a meaningless catchword, a concept that everyone uses but no one clearly defines. First identified by the Greeks, the concept of democracy has grown and expanded with the ages. Democracy in simple terms means ‘rule by the people’; however, in the postmodern world, it is often an ambiguous and illusive concept. Diamond, Linz and Lipset suggest, ‘the boundary between democratic and non-democratic is sometime a blurred and imperfect one …’ (1989 p.xvii). Banks (Parker, 1996) describes a democratic society as ‘… people committed to ways of living together that are marked by popular sovereignty rather … [than] authoritarianism … to cultural pluralism rather than oppression in the name of political unity … [to] commitment to liberty, laws, justice and equality as the moral ground of social life.’ (p.iii).

Suggested Citation

  • Patricia Velde Pederson, 2011. "The Meaning of Democracy: A Lebanese Adolescent Perspective," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Jane Harrigan & Hamed El-Said (ed.), Globalisation, Democratisation and Radicalisation in the Arab World, chapter 7, pages 127-144, Palgrave Macmillan.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palchp:978-0-230-30700-1_7
    DOI: 10.1057/9780230307001_7
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