THEORIES OF

DEMOCRACY
CLASSICAL THEORY OF DEMOCRACY
ADVOCATES OF THOERY
John Locke: Two Treaties of Government (1632-1704)
Montesquieu: The Spirit of Laws (1689-1775)
Rousseau: The Social Contract (1712-78)
Adam Smith: The Wealth of Nations (1723-90)
John Stuart Mill: On Liberty (1806-73)
CLASSICAL THEORY OF
DEMOCRAY
The Glorious Revolution of 1688, The American War of
Independence of 1766 and French Revolution of 1789 had
established liberalism in the West.
Liberalism as the ideology of autonomous individual and
his/her rights and liberties. The central theme of classical
liberalism is a commitment to an extreme form of
individualism.
The classical theory of democracy insists on active
participation of the people in political process, grant of
universal suffrage, existence of representative government,
periodical and free elections, existence of certain fundamental
rights, independence of judiciary, rule of law etc.
NATURE OF CLASSICAL DEMOCRACY

Government by consent
Public Accountability
Majority Rule
Recognition of Minority rights
Constitutional Government
THE FEATURES OF THE CLASSICAL
THOERY
Individual is the basic and primary unit
of democracy
Individual is autonomous and equipped
with life, liberty and property (Locke)
Individual being the end
The government is limited
The state’s powers endanger individual
liberties and freedoms
The state is the result of the individuals’
deliberate intentions
Public participation is another basic
feature of the classical theory of
democracy
It advocated constitutionalism
CRITICISMS OF CLASSICAL
THEORY
It is thoroughly normative
It attaches no importance to the role of
numerous interests groups and organisation
The utilitarian’s talk about ‘the greatest
happiness of the greatest number without
taking into consideration impeding elements
of society’