Blog Post 1: Democracy

            Democracy

         Throughout history, many different systems of governments have been established since the beginning of civilization. One of the most modern, or perhaps the most modern system of government is democracy. Democracy is a government system where all members of a state or country all are eligible to participate in the government in one way or another, typically through other elected represented politicians. Many people of countries and societies around the world struggled to achieve democracy, and some still do in today’s day. In the people’s fight for democracy, many sacrificed time and freedom in their campaign.
        Since America separated themselves from Great Britain’s rule after the Revolutionary War, we have considered ourselves to have a democratic republic form of government. Although, many others including I, believe the form of democracy that was formed after we declare independence was a very limited form compared to the one we employ in today’s government. For example, after establishing the U.S. government, only white men who were landowners were permitted to vote and take part in the government. Eventually, after the freedom of all slaves in America in 1865, it was not until almost 100 years after until African- Americans could openly vote without any harsh limitations that were placed after the freedom of slaves. Women on the other hand had to protest for years to vote before they were accepted and legally allowed to vote in 1920. Throughout the history of the United States, laws were introduced to eventually include all demographics of people to be able to participate in the government. 
        In South Africa, apartheid limited most of the black population politically, who were not allowed many of the liberties as whites in South Africa had. Nelson Mandela fought for years on end for democracy and was imprisoned for nearly 30 years for being a political threat to the South African government for speaking against apartheid. Mandela’s fight for a truly democratic South Africa came with all the hardships expected and even more. Once Mandela was freed from prison, he sought out to truly begin his goal to end apartheid, “When I walked out of prison, that was my mission, to liberate the oppressed and the oppressor both... We have not taken the final step of our journey, but the first step on a longer and even more difficult road... The true test to our devotion to freedom is just beginning.” (Long Walk to Freedom, ch.6 p.81). Mandela and everyone else’s struggle came with an eventual victory, liberating South Africa from apartheid and achieving a democratic state. 
        Frederick Douglass may have not achieved democracy, as that was never his goal, but freedom for all slaves in 19th century America has been. The struggle that Douglass and all others who have fought for the goal of democracy have been very similar. What both those who have fought for democracy and Douglass both had to face was facing roadblocks put up by others who do not want to see their goals that they are battling for realized. In “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave” Douglass recounts what he had to go through to just to learn to read and write, as it was considered illegal to teach a slave, so he had to use various clever tricks to learn “The plan which I adopted, and the one by which I was the most successful, was that of making friends of all the little white boys whom I met in the street... This bread that I used to bestow upon the hungry little urchins, who, in return would give that more valuable bread of knowledge (p.333)” being of the few ways he managed to learn from others as a child when formal education for him was illegal. Throughout his childhood, Douglass encountered many struggles to become educated within himself and the people around him.  
         In modern societies, democracy has been a goal many communities living in non-democratic states have sought after, with many succeeding in the end. The example of South Africa and America achieving democracy for all are just two of many different examples of countries that have also achieved democracy, including Frederick Douglass’ struggles being a slave. One commonality that most of the states who eventually achieved democracy are that they became democracies through protesting and political engagement to put out their voices that the common people and their countries need to change. The sacrifices people had to make to speak out against their countries to try to better them for everyone have been written down as some of the bravest moments in history.