Democracy is worth fighting for
Over the last twenty years we have witnessed an unprecedented move towards democracy in every corner of the world. Country after country abandoned authoritarian rule in favor of multi-party democracies with an elected parliament at its centre. Does that mean that we live in a more democratic world today?
Not necessarily. In our increasingly fragmented yet interdependent world many processes and decisions directly affecting peoples' lives escape normal democratic checks and balances. Globalization and international cooperation involve decision- making that lacks democratic control. And even at the level of the sovereign nation State where not so long ago all important decisions were taken, the central institution of democracy - parliament - faces a crisis of legitimacy in many countries. Parliament is at pains to reflect all components of society, does not control the agenda and has scarce resources at its disposal. Far too often it must also contend with a lack of commitment by the country's leaders to the sharing of political power that is so essential to democratic parliamentary processes.
Nevertheless, democracy has achieved a level of acceptance that it has perhaps never had before. It is a universally recognized ideal as well as a system of government. As an ideal, democracy aims essentially to preserve and promote the dignity and fundamental rights of the individual. As a system of government, democracy is the best way of achieving these objectives. It is also the only system of government that has the capacity for self-correction.
Democracy is therefore worth fighting for. The Inter-Parliamentary Union has been engaged in that struggle since its inception and can be proud of its many achievements. The IPU embraces the International Day of Democracy. It invites all parliaments to join in celebrating democracy's achievements.
Let us also pause to reflect on how we can surmount the challenges facing democracy today and bring about effective rule by the people, for the benefit of each and every one of us. Demos kratos!
IPU celebrates first International Day of Democracy
Late last year the United Nations General Assembly declared 15 September International Day of Democracy. This decision holds special significance for the IPU, which brings together a cornerstone of democracy – parliaments. The IPU, which promotes democracy on the basis of the Universal Declaration on Democracy, adopted by its Members some ten years earlier, has decided to commemorate this first Day, inviting parliaments to mark the event through some form of special activity. It has also decided to hold a panel discussion at its headquarters, The House of Parliaments, and to dedicate this issue of The World of Parliaments to the theme of democracy, with special contributions from Mr. Jimmy Carter, former US President, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and current President of The Carter Center; Mr. Philippe Séguin, a former President of the French National Assembly and current First-President of the French Cour des Comptes; Prof. Benjamin Barber, a world renowned political theorist, and distinguished Senior Fellow at Demos, where he is President of CivWorld; and Ms. Marta Lagos, Executive Director of LatinoBarómetro.