What are the key features of a liberal democratic state?

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Government and Politics Essay

By Chris Armstrong

What are the key features of a liberal democratic state?

What are the key limitations of a liberal democracy?

The whole innovation of “Democracy” was derived as far back as five hundred B.C in Athens.  The term came from the Greek language, “demos” meaning people and “cracy” meaning power.  It was created because of the failing current system being an aristocracy due to trading, new battle tactics and because people were starting to want to have there own say rather than let a noble claim it.  With only fifty thousand people with citizenship it was more practical just to have a public assembly where everyone had the right to speak and no decision could be taken which did not meet with the approval of an majority.

Sadly this government did not last because of the decline in the Greek civilisation.  From then on Democracy was seen as an ideal that was not practical because of an uneducated majority of people living in each country.  Theses particular times such as the middle ages were where Monarchy flourished.  However changes were starting to develop with the ever increasing industrialisation revolution and a representative democracy was taking favour.

With the new state of government came new changes in legislation such as working class activity was given to other friendly societies, there was gradual social and economic reform as in factory and public health  legislation.  The U.K population were given increased political participation whereby the government introduced new Acts from eighteen thirty two right up to nineteen sixty nine where slowly everyone over the age of eighteen could vote.  And finally the extension of education to the working classes which before then was unheard of.

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A government must conform with some basic rules if it wishes to call itself a democratic state.  These rules although binding can be ignored in certain crucial situations such as in time of crisis like war or terrorist attack.  An example of this was when in the second world war the acting government stayed in power even though they had completed their four years.

The first rule is that the government must answer to public opinion which entails regular (four year) elections in this country.  An example of this rule being put into practice recently is on the debate over ...

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