Democracy: how much do you have?

We are not fully done with questions regarding the constitutional implementation of democracy (or something else, that might even be called a Democracy or Republic).

The first questions in my recent post concerned the existence of a constitution, defining your state (your community) as democratic and who made the constitution.

Also relevant in a true democracy: Who can change the constitution?

• The citizens in a democratic process (suggestion, support of suggestion, poll).  (Democracy Score: 100%)
• Representatives, who were selected in a direct democratic process by the people.  (Democracy Score: 66%)
• Some (party) politicians who came to be in power, due to support by their party, powerfull lobbies, or heave monetary investment in their election campaigns.  (Democracy Score: 33%)
• The existing ruler(s) or government, with no influence by the people. (Democracy Score: 0%)

Always remember: the constitution is the basic set of rules and principles, that governs your community. The constitution also typically defines this community. So if the constitution is not died in the wool democratic, neither will be the resulting community, in whatever way it is organized.

In my research for www.independence4you.org I analyzed all (so called) democratic constitutions, both current and historical, that I could get a hold of (and understand the language). From this research I distilled the very essence of democratic constitutional principles, the least common denominator, to form the constitution of www.independence4you.org.

So in any democratic constituion you would expect to find this least common denominator, consisting of two principles:

Does your constitution contain the basic democratic principle of EQUALITY (equal rights for all citizens)?

• Yes  (Democracy Score: 100%)
• Theoretically yes, but in reality it is distorted by econoic inequalities, privilege, immunity to the law (e.g. for politicians), exceptions or laws, which establish non equal rights for some individuals or groups. (Democracy Score: 33%)
• No (Democracy Score: 0%)

Does your constitution contain the basic democratic principle of FREEDOM (largest possible amount of freedon for all citizens, which is only limited, where it infringes upon the (equal) freedom of other citizens)?

• Yes  (Democracy Score: 100%)
• Theoretically yes, but in reality many laws or rules limit this individual freedom more than would be strictly necessary to safeguard all citizens freedom (and equality). (Democracy Score: 50%)
• No (Democracy Score: 0%)

When I fill out the constitional part of the democracy rating I’m getting a result of 34% for the country I live in (Austria).