The basic elements in a liberal democracy are regular elections, a parliament exercising control over government within law and individuals freedoms such as free debate, freedom of association and the right to protest (Carter & Stokes, 2002).
Regular elections should include competitiveness among parties to keep elections fair and voters should be aware of their interests. Additionally, as Carter and Stokes (2002) state that there should be “a parliament that can exercise control over the government and all this happens within a frame work of the rule of law” (p.10).
A liberal democracy should include extensive freedoms of speech, press (all media properties), association, movement, thought and belief, assembly and protest, and language and culture expression. These freedoms can also be referred as ‘individual freedoms’ which their purpose is understood greater with the help of media properties. Crowley (2011) states “a free and vibrant press plays an important role around the world in the development of civil society and accountable governments” and continues with a broader rule “the freer the press, the more transparent and more democratic the government is likely to be.” (Importance of a Free and Vibrant Press section, para.4). If press is free and committed to the promotion of freedom of expression, the basic steps into forming a true civil society can be taken. One example is from former Yugoslavia which the growth of an independent media helped to change a country, “contributing to the dynamic that led to the end of the rule of Slobodan Milosevic, and his transfer to The Hague where he died in prison while facing charges for crimes against humanity” (Importance of a Free and Vibrant Press section, para.6).
In order to sust...
... middle of paper ...
...media’s lack of coverage during the Gezi Park protests during June 2013 (Fraser, 2013).
Works Cited
Fraser, S. (2013, July 26). Turkey Criticized After Journalist Yavuz Baydar Fired For New York Times Op-Ed. Retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/26/yavuz-baydar-fired-turkey-freedom-press_n_3660955.html
UN General Assembly, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 10 December 1948, 217 A (III), available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6b3712c.html [accessed 2 December 2013]
Hutton W. (2008). The Writing on the Wall: Chine and the West in the 21st Century. London: Abacus.
John Street (2011). Mass Media, Politics & Democracy. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Micheal Schudson (2008). Why Democracies Need An Unlovable Press. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Dennis, E. E. & Snyder, R. W. (Eds.). (1998) Media & Democracy. New Jersey, NJ: Transaction Publishers.
Michael Parenti (2002) declares media in the United States is no longer “free, independent, neutral and objective.” (p. 60). Throughout his statement, Parenti expresses that media is controlled by large corporations, leaving smaller conglomerates unable to compete. The Telecommunications Act, passed in 1996, restricted “a single company to own television stations serving more than one-third of the U.S. public,” but is now overruled by greater corporations. (p. 61). In his opinion, Parenti reveals that media owners do not allow the publishing of stories that are not beneficial and advantageous. Parenti supports his argument very thoroughly by stating how the plutocracy takes control over media in multiple ways: television, magazines, news/radio broadcasting, and other sources.
"The Universal Declaration of Human Rights." The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada, n.d. Web. 03 May 2014.
Media finds its central role in the democratic debate in providing information, analysis, and a diversity of perspectives to the public. In recent years, with what is known as a media revolution, the amount of telecommunication outlets has increased dramatically. Often called “a product of healthy market competition,” the media revolution has theoretically expanded the public’s access to a multitude of facts, opinions, and general information (Miroff, et al. 2015). However, with a
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. (n.d.). United Nations. Retrieved April 18, 2011, from http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml
Declaration of Human Rights: Dignity and Justice for All of Us. Accessed on October 29,
Howard, P. N., & Hussain, M. M. (2011). The role of digital media. Journal of Democracy, 22(3), 35-
"Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Jan. 2013. Web. 21 Nov. 2013. .
When explaining democracy, one must look at the cultural norms of the population of a nation. In observing the political interests in different cultures and explaining what influences the active political role, one can also understand the most indicative beacons of a strong democracy. Empirical evidence from the research of Ifra Mushtaq (and associates) as well as cultural observations prove that the best indicators of a strong democracy are political participation in society and the freedom to speak and print a variety of opinions critical of government leaders without fear of oppression.
On December 10th in 1948, the general assembly adopted a Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This declaration, although not legally binding, created “a common standard of achievement of all people and all nations…to promote respect for those rights and freedoms” (Goodhart, 379). However, many cultures assert that the human rights policies outlined in the declaration undermine cultural beliefs and practices. This assertion makes the search for universal human rights very difficult to achieve. I would like to focus on articles 3, 14 and 25 to address how these articles could be modified to incorporate cultural differences, without completely undermining the search for human rights practices.
One of the fundamental roles of the media in a liberal democracy is to critically scrutinise governmental affairs: that is to act as a watchdog of government to ensure that the government can be held accountable by the public. However, the systematic deregulation of media systems worldwide is diminishing the ability of citizens to meaningfully participate in policymaking process governing the media (McChesney, 2003, p. 126). The relaxation of ownership rules and control, has resulted in a move away from diversity of production to a situation where media ownership is becoming increasing concentrated by just a few predominantly western global conglomerates (M...
Declaration of Human Rights: Dignity and Justice for All of Us. Accessed on October 29,
Nations, U. (2013). The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Retrieved November 4, 2013, from United Nations: http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/
Democracy is commonly defined as a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Freedom and democracy walk hand in hand. Democracy is only compatible with a free economy. It is completely incompatible with a system that provides for a governing authority with coercive power. We live in a society today where the media plays a pivotal role in how we see the world, and how our opinions are formed, whether it is from what we watch on television or what we gather from newspapers or internet. Media acts as an interface between the common man and the Government. It is a very powerful tool with the ability to make and break the opinion of people. If media tells the public that this picture is being demanded as one
In a democracy, free and fair elections which are held after around half a decade, guarantee social rights and equality. These elections ensure that every citizen has the right to vote, and hence they create social stability among the society. Each and every individual casting his vote in the elections reduces discrimination among the people. Citizens are not judged on the basis of religion, race, color, social status and so on. In this way, the dignity of nationals is not damaged and people can live in peace. In addition to voting rights, a democracy also assures access to other services like security, education, property rights, and healthcare facilities. These human rights maintain social equity and involv...
Basically, upon the founding of this democracy, the citizens are relieved of the everyday duties of the government, and elected officials burden the weight. The citizens are provided with security and the ability to attain the necessities they require in life. Ultimately the people want to enjoy themselves. The people feel confident in their choice of elected officials and no longer have to worry themselves over every minute detail of running the country. They are left to...