The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa does not provide any form of definition for democracy. Write an interpretive essay analysing this term and
what it entails.

The nascent democracy in Nigeria is plagued with myriad of intrigues, discordant opinions of the political class.

The reason is not farfetched. Every political party sees its manifesto and plans of action as the best for the

citizenry. They elbow each other in the process of garnering political recognition and vibrancy. Their unhealthy

rivalry only heat up the polity. How be it some Nigerians see these political dissent as a necessary tool to a

sound democratic process. They argue that dissenting voices amongst the political class are necessary since a

democratic process would never be devoid of antagonism and democracy would never thrive on rational

consensus. This paper seeks to define democracy, explore the dissenting opinions of the political class which

many say attempt to make or mar the democratic process in Nigeria. The study would further examine the role

of the media in fast tracking the entire democratization process with a view to ascertaining whether the practice

of democracy in Nigeria is in tandem with acceptable practices in the well recognized democracies of the world.

Finally, the paper would proffer possible solutions and make necessary recommendations that would help deepen

true democratic culture in Nigeria.

Key words, democracy, politics, dissent, mass media, democratization process.

The Concept of Democracy

It is difficult to reach a consensus on the definition of democracy. However, the main idea of democracy is

widely accepted to have originated from Athens in the 5th century BC.

The Webster New Encyclopaedic Dictionary (1995) defines democracy as a government in which supreme

power is invested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through representation. According

to Lindell, and Scott (1999), the term originates from the Greek word (demokratia) “rule of the people” which

was coined from (demos) “people” and (kratos) “power” or “rule” in the 5th century B.C.

It is important to note that the political system postulated by the Athenians was such that democratic citizenship

was exclusive to an elite class of free men only. Slaves and women were excluded from participation.

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