Editing Democratic Theory (section)

== <span style="color: #FFFFFF;">Understanding</span> ==
Democratic theory is built on the tension between '''Participation''', '''Competition''', and '''Liberty'''.

'''The Democratic "Minimum" (Schumpeter)''': Joseph Schumpeter argued that democracy is simply a "method" for choosing leaders. It's an institutional arrangement for arriving at political decisions in which individuals acquire the power to decide by means of a competitive struggle for the people's vote. If there are free and fair elections, it's a democracy.

'''The Democratic "Thick" (Dahl)''': Robert Dahl argued for "Polyarchy." He said democracy requires more than just voting; it requires:
1. Elected officials.
2. Free and fair elections.
3. Inclusive suffrage (everyone can vote).
4. Right to run for office.
5. Freedom of expression.
6. Access to alternative information (free press).
7. Associational autonomy (freedom to form groups).

'''The Paradox of Voting''': Democratic theory also looks at the "irrationality" of the individual voter. Since one vote almost never decides an election, the "cost" of becoming informed is higher than the "benefit" of the vote. This leads to '''Rational Ignorance''', which theorists must account for when designing democratic institutions.
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