Democracy is both a theoretical ideal and the means by which many countries, including New Zealand, are run.  Decisions and details about how democracy operates in practice are based upon the theoretical ideas about what democracy is and what it should achieve.  Both the theoretical ideas and details of democratic practice are discussed and researched by academics in the discipline of political science. 

Democracy - everyday concepts has been written by political scientists Drs Therese Arseneau (University of Canterbury) and Helena Catt (Electoral Commission, previously University of Auckland) with the intention of giving background to anyone interested in how representative democracy works.  It will be particularly useful to teachers, students, journalists, public servants, politicians, and other activists.

Articles are grouped into five sections covering off the main elements of democracy (and elections as a key component of it).  The first section is theoretical, while the remainder are aspects of practice:

• Foundations of democratic society introduces politics as an essential ingredient of society
• Popular control and political equality focuses on the voter and what they need in order to participate
• Free and fair elections outlines the conditions needed for an election process and results to be accepted
• Political choice discusses how differences in views lead to the formation and activism of advocacy groups and political parties, and the role of the news media in scrutinising and characterising their activities
• Representative democracy raises questions about who those elected represent, the way decisions are made, and the different systems of government possible within a democratic framework.

Sections and the articles within them are written to stand alone, so they can be read individually or in any order according to preference or need.  They are interlinked where this will help a reader wanting to follow a particular theme.  Key words related to the concept being discussed are in bold type.

Democracy - everyday concepts draws on and explains mainstream political science, while highlighting contested areas.  It is a general resource, so will not apply to every context. 

The Electoral Commission sponsored this resource as part of its responsibility to deliver electoral education, however the content is the personal and professional work of the authors and not a statement from the commission.