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theoretical model. They disregard socio-political dynamics <strong>and</strong> societal constra<strong>in</strong>ts <strong>and</strong><br />

variables <strong>in</strong> their preconceptions <strong>and</strong> apologia <strong>and</strong> merely justify assaults on democracy<br />

is not an absolute value or, at best, does not need to be same th<strong>in</strong>g to all peoples <strong>and</strong> take<br />

the same form <strong>in</strong> all places.<br />

Based on Diamond’s summation, when reduced to fundamentals, we could deduce<br />

that democracy, <strong>in</strong> operational terms, could be regarded as mean<strong>in</strong>gful representative<br />

democracy. This means participation <strong>in</strong> decision mak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> the overall organization <strong>of</strong><br />

the society <strong>in</strong> a representational way with the use <strong>of</strong> the constitution as the supreme <strong>and</strong><br />

fundamental law. With the grow<strong>in</strong>g complexity <strong>of</strong> modern societies, it has expended as a<br />

philosophy to entail <strong>in</strong>sistence on the right <strong>and</strong> capacity <strong>of</strong> a people (act<strong>in</strong>g either directly<br />

or through their representatives) to control their <strong>in</strong>stitutions for their own objectives. It<br />

places a high value on the equality <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>dividuals <strong>and</strong> frees people from any restra<strong>in</strong>ts not<br />

self-imposed or imposed by the consent <strong>of</strong> the majority. In a democracy, both the ruled<br />

<strong>and</strong> the rulers are regulated through constitutional provisions.<br />

From the forego<strong>in</strong>g, we come to the conclusion that while there are contend<strong>in</strong>g<br />

views which sometimes appear to be <strong>in</strong> conflict with, rather than corroborate each other,<br />

there are some elements which are, to vary<strong>in</strong>g degrees, common to all conceptions <strong>of</strong><br />

democracy. The deductions that could be made from all conceptions <strong>of</strong> democracy as a<br />

way <strong>of</strong> life are that, it has certa<strong>in</strong> characteristics which <strong>in</strong>clude the right or opportunity to<br />

choose with<strong>in</strong> a given political context. It also implies some opportunity <strong>and</strong> the exercise<br />

<strong>of</strong> free will. It provides an environment for popular participation <strong>in</strong> the political process<br />

<strong>and</strong> promotes active <strong>in</strong>volvement <strong>of</strong> the greater percentage <strong>of</strong> the people <strong>in</strong> the<br />

determ<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> how they would be governed, who would govern them <strong>and</strong> the nature<br />

xxxii

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