Social Welfare Democracy and Government ( Social work) Essay

Social Welfare Democracy and Government ( Social work) - Essay Example In effect, in a democratic system, the right to vote is an entitlement for each citizen because the government processes are based on the will of the people. Since not all citizens can be allowed to carry out government processes, a representative voted by the people would be the next best thing for a democracy. Inclusion is also about being made a part of the process. In the democratic scene, inclusion is an important element because it helps ensure that the conceptualization and implementation of policies encompass all members of society (Young, 2002). Therefore, in the process of ensuring the adequate implementation of democracy, everyone who is entitled to vote should do so because it allows them to be included in the democratic processes and it helps ensure that the spirit of democracy is carried out to its fullest extent (Young, 2002). Representative democracies are very much founded on the rule of the people as supported by the election of government officials. In the history of the United States and in other representative democracies, during our early years, only free white males were able to vote and in some areas, these voters had to be property owners as well (Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt, 2008). Women were not allowed to vote in the elections; and in the US, it was only until the 1920s when they were finally granted the right to vote. Today, the right to suffrage is universal. Since all votes count equally, regardless of gender, ethnicity, and economic standing, the only way to make fair decisions is to submit to the majority will (Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt, 2008). In order to ensure that majority rule does not become oppressive, provisions to protect the right of the minority groups have also been set forth. If no protection is granted to these minorities, the majority might end up violating the fundamental rights of other minority groups (Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt, 2008). In effect, it is important for everyone to vote in order to ensure th at their right is represented and protected; in order to ensure that even if the majority rule would apply, the rights of the minorities would still be represented in the bigger picture. In order to guarantee the continued existence of a democracy which represents the will of the people, there must always be free and competitive elections. Therefore, the opposition can have an equal right to win the elections (Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt, 2008). In order for elections to be totally free and open, freedom of speech and of the press must be respected so that opposition candidates can present their constructive criticism against the government (Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt, 2008). Even as all citizens must have the right to vote, there may be certain restrictions to the exercise of this right. These restrictions are based on legal and proprietary provisions which are part of the democratic processes of different countries. In the United Kingdom, laws provide for certain criteria by wh ich citizens are qualified for the right to suffrage. First provision is that only individuals whose names appear on the electoral register are allowed to vote (Electoral Commission, 2006). In order to vote in the UK Parliamentary elections, the voter must be 18 years of age or over on the day of the elections. He must also be a British citizen, a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Irish Republic who is residing in the UK. Finally, he must not be made