 What is democracy? We often hear that South Africa transitioned into democracy in 1994. However, what do we know about democracy? In simple terms, democracy means that the people are entitled to influence important decisions that affect their lives. Instead of having one person making all the decisions in a country, democracy brings together the views and interests of all people so that the future of the country can be decided based on all these views. That doesn't mean that each individual's view will prevail, but it means that people have a say and that their views are taken seriously. Democracy is ruled by the majority. The word democracy comes from ancient Greek, with demos meaning the people and kratos meaning to rule. So its literal meaning is rule by the people. In a direct democracy, people govern themselves. Each person would have a direct say in every single decision that affects the country. This would be very difficult to implement. In a representative democracy like South Africa's, we elect representatives to represent our interests and to govern the country. This happens through regular elections in line with the country's constitution. But it is important to remember that regular democratic elections are not the only key feature of democracy. There are a number of other principles that need to be present in order to have a well-functioning democracy. They include the respect for some basic human rights, a multi-party system paired with political tolerance, respect for the rule of law, democratic governance and citizen participation. At the same time, it is important to understand that every country has a unique democratic system. Countries will be differently democratic, but democracy rests upon certain fundamental principles that we have just outlined. Although it can never be guaranteed, in a well-functioning democracy, citizens are more likely to be rewarded with the fruits of democracy, which include respect for human dignity, freedom, equality, justice, good governance, peace and the opportunity to hold elected representatives accountable. These are as important as making sure that everyone has a good standard of living. This does not mean that there will be no differences of opinion or that contestation will not occur. Since there are always different interests in complex societies, challenges and contestation will occur. This is part of the democratic process. Let's talk briefly about each fruit of democracy. Freedom means that in a democracy, people are able to act, speak and think freely, as long as they act in line with the country's constitution and do not interfere with another person's rights. Equality means that each person living in a country has the same status and rights as everyone else and may not be discriminated against. And the justice system will treat every individual equally before the law. That's what we also refer to as the rule of law. Further, well-functioning democracies are more likely to be governed well. That means that the government will aim to be efficient, transparent and responsive, which are all prerequisites to ensure accountability to its citizens. Where the government does not uphold the values and practices of democratic governance, citizens have the right to hold elected representatives to account. Finally, well-functioning democracies have a greater chance of becoming peaceful societies where everyone is respected. This results in a more pleasant and safe environment for everyone. These outcomes of successful democracies are not easy to realise and require a great amount of effort from everyone in the country. Because it is so profoundly difficult to achieve these goals, some people may feel like giving up on the entire system of democracy. This will mean giving up your freedom. South Africa is one of the youngest democracies in the world. Only in 1994, after much struggle and sacrifice, were all citizens granted the right to freely and fairly vote for their representative government under a democratic constitution. Prior to that, the apartheid government granted limited political rights only to the white minority and discriminated against everyone else. Under apartheid, we did not have freedom and everyone was not equal before the law. We now have a democracy, which includes a new constitution with a vision for a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights. So while our young democracy may not be perfect, it is something we should hold dear. To summarise, why is democracy such a successful form of government in the world? A democracy is a government in which supreme power is vested in the people. Citizens exercise power directly or indirectly through a system of representation, usually involving regular, free and fair elections. Democracy allows its people to have a say in the future direction of a country. And a well-functioning democracy comes as close as possible to the ideals of its citizens, to live in a peaceful, free and fair society that is managed by an elected, democratic government that displays good governance.