Democracy is not a spectator sport

Today, 15 September, is International Day of Democracy – celebrated each year by the UN and its members. Why celebrate a system of government? What’s so special about democracy?

I think the answer is simple. Democracy is the only system of Government that puts ordinary people at its centre. It ensures the people have a say about decisions made by those who run the country. And, crucially, it is the only system that ensures no single politician or party is more powerful than the collective will of the people. It means, quite literally, “rule by the people”.

Democracy is not the easy option. It relies on governments choosing not to use their power to stay in power. It depends on politicians and officials accepting that they don’t have a right to govern – but that power is given to them temporarily by the people. It depends on the Rule of Law. And it depends on the freedom of information and speech.

Information is the life-blood of a strong democracy. If you accept that politicians work for the people, then you have to accept that the public have a right to know what their government is up to. Secrecy is like rust to democracy. You can accept a little bit, but too much makes the structure weak.

The media is the primary source of political information for the public – so must be allowed to play its role without political interference.   Scottish trade unionist Jimmy Reid got it right when he said “The task of the media in a democracy is not to ease the path of those who govern, but to make life difficult for them by constant vigilance as to how they exercise the power they only hold in trust from the people.”

So governments should only keep secrets when they can demonstrate that it is in the public’s interests to do so. Not to avoid embarrassment or criticism. And not because it is the easy option. The most open governments are clear about what they choose to keep secret and why, trusting the public to understand and accept these choices. The media and civil society have the job of probing and challenging that secrecy to keep government honest – because the temptation to declare something a “state secret” is a strong one.

Understanding this makes it clear why non-democratic governments around the world always see open, inquisitive civil society and media as the enemy. Why they will try to create a compliant civil society and media, by using the power of the state to coerce, intimidate and threaten them.

On the flip side, strong democracies create space for civil society and the media to engage on issues of importance to the people. They value new ideas and challenge. And they are open with information so that everyone has what they need to influence and participate in governance.

That is not easy for governments to do. But the benefits are big. A relationship based on openness and trust between government and people will always be closer. And policies based on open and transparent engagement will always be stronger.

These issues have been at the centre of debate in Macedonia in recent times. With the political crisis, protests, information leaks, attempted pardons, and the political agreements that have paved the way for an election in December.

That election can be the beginning of the end of the political crisis. It will achieve that if it is transparent, inclusive and free from political manipulation. And it starts with a vigorous campaign giving voters all the information they need to make an informed decision about who they want to run the country on their behalf.

In more than two decades of partnership, the UK has supported Macedonia’s democracy by working with Parliament, Government, the judicial system, civil society and the media. We have supported a wide range of democratic initiatives, including NGOs that increase citizen participation, promoting the inclusion of marginalised groups, providing training for legal professionals, promoting freedom of expression and strengthening political parties and parliaments.

We’ll continue that work because democracies are best helped by other democracies. No country has yet perfected democracy. I’d argue that there is no such thing as “perfection”. Democracies are like gardens – they need constant attention. And the people in a country are best placed to give their democracy the attention it needs.

So I hope you will join today’s call to action #DemocracyIs. Have your say about what democracy means to you. Author James Bovard answered this question by saying: “Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.” My answer would be #DemocracyIs when people have the power to design their futures.

That’s something worth celebrating, not just one day a year, or at one election – but every day. The best celebration of democracy is to take part. Democracy is not a spectator sport.