leadership crises and decline of opposition parties in

of powers), the rule of law, minimal state intervention in civil society and private
life, and a free-market society given the fullest possible scope. Its general
conditions include effective political leadership guided by liberal principles,
limitations on bureaucratic regulation, and if possible, the eradication of the threat
of collectivism of any kind.
On the other hand, there is the Marxist model, inspired notably by Rousseau’s
skepticism regarding the representative structure and codification of the General Will.
Like all others, this model has evolved considerably throughout history. It is one of the
principal sources of inspiration. What is called participatory democracy is defined in the
following manner:
An equal right to self-development can only be achieved in
a participatory society, a society which fosters a sense of
political efficacy, nurtures a concern for collective
problems and contributes to the formation of a
knowledgeable citizenry capable of taking a sustained
interest in the governing process (Held 1987).
Its key features are the direct participation of citizens in the regulation of the main
institution of society, including the workplace and the local community; the
reorganization of the party system with political parties much more integrated into the
parliamentary structure; the adoption of the principle of better distribution of resources;
and an open information system to ensure informed decisions.
The promotion, practice and vicissitudes of democracy in different parts of the
world have no doubt exposed the concept to some definitional haze and diverse forms of
interpretation. Indeed, as Larry Diamond has observed “As a concept, democracy is
pervasive in modern value systems but elusive in definition. By the same word, different
theorists and ideologies mean many different things” (Diamond 1988).To summarize the
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