Democracy is more than a system of governance; it is a moral contract between citizens and the state, a living embodiment of justice, dignity, and equality. It thrives not merely on laws and institutions but on the conscience of its people. Without active and responsible citizenship, democracy becomes a hollow promise—its ideals vulnerable to erosion, its institutions susceptible to manipulation.
Political scientist Larry Diamond identified four core pillars of democracy: free and fair elections, the rule of law that binds all equally, the protection of civil and human rights, and, most crucially, active civic engagement. While institutions safeguard the first three, the fourth—citizenship—is the beating heart of democracy itself. Without it, the grand architecture of democratic governance is nothing more than an empty shell.
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