For millions of people around the world democracy represents the best form of government. According to the Freedom House Web-site (a leading watchdog group on democracy worldwide), at the beginning of the 21st century this form of government is the dominant form of governance within the international system. Globally, forty-four percent of all countries are democratic and thirty percent semi-democratic. Therefore the democratic total is seventy four percent. Perhaps one of the simplest and best definitions of democracy can be found in the immortal words of Abraham Lincoln,itisthe"rule of the people, by the people and for the people'. It involves the rule of the majority by a government chosen by the people in national elections. The forms of democracy can be presidential or a parliamentary system.
All would agree that political rights and elections are elementary and essential to democracy. However, one must recognize that merely possessing these attributes cannot be enough. Any state professing to be a democratic one must not merely conduct elections to choose government officials, but the elections being conducted must be free and fair to all. Voters must have access to polling stations and not be impeded by the threat of violence or any form of coercion. Further, in no truly democratic society must those who are vying for office use cash or kind to buy the vote of the electorate. .
An essential indicator that a state has a high level of democracy is that state's recognition of the citizen's civil rights. The fundamental rights such as freedom of speech, assembly, conscience, association and expression must be strongly supported and protected by the state.
