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Indirect and direct democracy in Switzerland, as in all democratic countries, citizens elect representa-
tive to act on their behalf. But Switzerland gives its citizens the chance to take a direct part in decision-
making as well. Although direct democracy is by no means unique to Switzerland. Italy and many US
states are among those who also give voters an important decision-making role. The Swiss system is
probably the most extensive in the world.
Swiss citizens can both propose legislation of their own, or thwart already approved by the parliament.
The only case in which parliament can override this right is if it decides that the motion being
proposed is un-constitutional, or if it violates the international law.

Key elemenTs of Democracy

The following are the significant elements that continue to make democracy popular in the
contemporary world.

1. Formal Equality
Equality and justice is the central theme of democracy. Both these terms are inseparable.

Equality is the precondition that ensures justice to all the people of a society or country.
In democracy, everybody is given equal status. No discrimination is made on the basis of
caste, religion, colour, race, etc. Every individual has equal political, economic and civil
rights, whether it is the President of the country or a common man. All are subject to the
same laws. In a democracy, all adult people are given the right to vote. The value of each
vote is equal, whether it is of the rich or the poor.

2. Enhancing human Dignity
Democracy enhances human dignity because it is a rule by the people themselves. The

basic idea of a democracy is that people rule themselves by participating in the making of
these rules. That is, people have the power to elect their rulers.
In fact, democracy aims at to achieve social, political and
economic equality. It gives equal status and opportunities
to all its citizens irrespective of the rich or the poor. A
democratic government makes special provisions for socially
or economically weaker sections. A large number of such
welfare schemes have been implemented to bridge the gap
between the rich and the poor as well as the differences in the
Welfare Programmes caste system. This overall enhances human dignity.

3. univErsal aDult FranchisE
It means that all the adults in the country are allowed to

vote. This is an essential feature of a democracy. Now, no
government can claim itself to be a democratic government
without allowing all adults to vote.

In the earliest democratic of the world, only men who had
certain level of property and education were allowed to vote People in Queue to Vote

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