It has been the aspiration of the United nations that all nations across the globe become democratic. What makes democracy more appealing in contrast with dictatorship is its representativeness and the power it gives to the ordinary citizen to affect the affairs of their government. It must be pointed out that anytime this mechanism of representativeness is detached from democracy then we don't have democracy any more, what we have is oligarchy.
Democracy in its purest form is what is referred to as direct democracy as practiced in Ancient Greece. Representative democracy was offered as compromise to the impossibility of direct democracy in ever-growing high population. The idea of representative democracy is for citizens to empower their representatives to make decisions on their behalf. So by default, the people assembly (call it Congress, Parliament, etc) was designed to be embodiment of the true sentiments of the people they represent. Having said this, it must be acknowledged there are varried forms of representative democracy. The US for example takes pride in seperation of powers and checks and balances to minimize concentration of power and undue influences.
Fast forward this to today's realities of Washington politics, what we are witnessing is representative democracy gone wild! Political gridlock and preservation of the so-called Iron Triangle have become the new rule of engagement. Interest group and pay-to-play politics with corporations, big money backers and political expediency have taken the better part of Washington representative democracy. There are some experts who claim gridlock is actually good for America's democracy. I would argue that yes, to some extent, gridlock is good for democracy but as long as the motive behind it is well-intented and more importantly in the interest of the general population. Anything short of this would amount to obstructionism and in fact contempt of representative democracy!
