Who has the power?

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Richard Nash is a Senior Global Advisor for Corruption at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). Through his work he supports countries to have fair and open elections by working against corruption.

Corruption = dishonest behaviour where people in positions of authority abuse their powers for personal gain. For example, by accepting bribery or giving their friends powerful roles.


Watch his video to find out how he helps to fight corruption and keep democracies stable.

Video not working? Follow this link: https://vimeo.com/886865206/5706bca918

Richard’s interview got us thinking…


Comments (102)

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  • Hello topical talkers I’m talented_cicada so today I will be sharing my own opinion on the people that has most power in a democracy. For me, I think the voters has more power in a democracy because it is their choice to cast their vote. As a leader, if you are not being elected by the voters, that leader can’t go into power because you are not elected and that is the reason why Abraham Lincoln defines democracy as the people by the people and for the people.

    1. I really agree with you that voter's have the most power in democracy because without the voter's we wouldn't have a leader. They are the ones who decide who they want. I think without voter's ections wouldn't go on.

      1. I agree because if there are no voters, the government will not know which particular leader to choose and if bad rulers are chosen, the citizens will think they were ruined not knowing that they were supposed to vote and it goes this way: no voters no particular leader, no leader no peace, no peace no good citizens, no good citizens no good country. Voters are One of the major characters during an election and have the right to vote and if they refuse to vote, they are indirectly forgetting to choose a leader.

      2. I strongly agree with you if not for voter no one will be a leader. Democracy is about voting to get a good leader that will bring peace, joy, harmony and respect. so, every voter has the right to express their franchise and to choose on whoever they are convinced will lead them without fear of favor or even sentiments.

      3. I agree with you, knowing that the power is in the hands of the voters is very soothing, However, voters are willing to come out to vote, having a capable candidate is usually the challenge. as such, every candidate want to feed the public with very interesting promises that sometimes turn into a lie since voters have this much power i think they can utilize this power by voting out such party out of seat in the next election.

      4. I am not sure becuse, Some countries have kings and queens like England, Saudi Arabia, and Quatar. they don't have elections because the leaders inheritthier positions. But in countries with democracy, people get to vote for their leaders. Some think having a say is important.

        Both ways have good things and problems. it depends on what the people want.

      5. I agree with you because in my opinion it is voters who actually have the opportunity to vote in democracy, if we don't have voters to vote then we will not have a leader to lead us today. I think that voters are the key to elect a leader and if there are no voters elections will not take place.

    2. I agree because democracy is a game of numbers and the voters are in control of who they choose as their leader. But this changes when they elect a corrupt leaders who hid their corrupt background in order to get voted. In a situation like this, the leader is the most powerful because they are in charge of appointments and they can appoint a head of the electoral board who is sympathetic to he or she. In this case, the whole aim of democracy is defeated. This is because it was defined by Abraham Lincoln as by the people, for the people, and with the people.

    3. Hello talented_cicada
      I agree with you because, for me, I also think that the people that have more power are the voters. I say this because I also think that if voters do not vote for a leader, the person would not have the power to exercise over the people. And also, another reason I say that the people have the power because, if the people are not happy with that particular leader, they can cause things like riots or protests in order to bring the leader down. In fact in my country, the people at least on paper have the power to 'recall' any elected leader if they feel he/she is no longer representing their interest.

      1. I strongly disagree with you trusting_interaction
        Because the media serves as a mass communication system, they are saddled with the dissemination of latest information. they also help people to know who they are voting for by organizing a public debates and showcasing their profile and achievement's and whether have they held any public office. So, the media serve as the voice of the people, sometimes they are regarded as the hope of the people.

    4. Hi talented cicada,
      I strongly agree with you that voters has more power in a democracy because it is their choice to cast their vote. When most of the population decides to pick a particular candidate, there's likelihood that the candidate stand a good chance of wining the election. In addition to what you said like know our president had the most vote and has come to power but to me that is just news because from my parents comment and most people around me, he did not win or the election was not free and fair because most people said it was rigged and therefore the election was not free and fair.
      In our days now voter are the ones that candidates depend on sometimes if you notice some candidates go to voters and bribe them to vote for them to be in power. so I think that maybe what happened or the election bodies were likely bribed. Therefore, Although power lies in the hands of the voters during elections, it can be rigged and that makes it unfair.
      THANK YOU!!!

    5. Hello talented cicada
      I agree with you because if voters do not come out to vote then there will be no election for any leader that is my own opinion that the people has the power more then the people who are about to be voted. In my country, during election, most candidates go to places like market places, villages etc. to try and win the hearts of the people because they know that the power is in there hands. If the people do not like you or do not know you well, they will not vote for you so they try to convince the people to vote for them. sometimes they even bring gifts like Maggi, rice, salt and share to the people in the area so that they can vote for them because they know that they (politicians) do not have power to put themselves in office.

    6. I very much agree with you talented cicada, without the voters a leader cannot be chosen to lead especially in a democratic system of government . Also I think as citizens of a country we should make a thoughtful decision and try as much as possible to vote to set an example of a parotitic citizen. Lastly I think we should also try to understand and trust the reason why we vote a leader to help us for a better future.

      1. I agree because, no leaders mean that there is no way that a leader can be chosen.
        But no matter how hard the citizens of a country try people can rig these elections, like Nigeria's election last year was rigged for president Tinubu to win it.
        THANK YOU.

      2. I do agree the democratic system is the system of the people for the people and with the people so without the the voters the candidates would not be picked or chosen, citizens should also be patriotic and the leaders of each country should practice sovereignty which is the power of a nation state to have full control over its affairs. in conclusion the democratic system is very effective and when making decisions about it careful consideration should be included

    7. I agree with talented_cicada because like you quoted Abraham Lincoln tha democracy is the leadership of the people for the people by the people. So in my own opinion, it is 100% about the people. The people give the leader the power to represent them so he is there to serve the interest of the people, invariably the power resides with the people.
      In conclusion, if there is no sheep, there is shaphered meaning if there are no people, leaders will have no body to lead.

      THINK YOU.

    8. HELLO talented cicada,
      I agree with you, it is a matter of choice! it is an individual choice to choose if they want a to see a particular leader in power or not, yes, democracy is by the people and . As a candidate, to be in power you need to win the heart of the people through your track record of good deeds. This will not only set such candidate on the spot light but also seen as a patriot therefore making the power to lie in the hands of the people.
      THANK YOU!!!

      1. I disagree with you because in Nigeria the candidate have the power in the elections. During the elections most of the elections where rigged and some candidates bribed the electoral bodies in order to get the position they contested for. In my opinion the voters are to choose their leader rather than imposing a leader on them.

        1. I understand where you are coming from. In some countries, though the citizens are supposed to have the power to choose their leader, their power is usurped by more powerful and influential people in the society. Though some countries claim to practice democracy, the people are not truly in power because their decisions are not considered. It is not the people that decide but the person with the most influence and resources. This is due to corruption which must be stopped in our society for democracy to be properly practiced.

    9. I agree with your opinion because what you say is right if a voter do not elect a president in an election, the president will not be in power. Also it is right if no one elects a president there is no way a president will have power or be in charge. For example Good luck Jonathan was elected and was the president of Nigeria once because the voters elected him.

    10. I strongly agree with you because it is the voters who decide their leader. So if it was not for the leader they might be following a parliamentary system of government. The voters are the citizens so the have a right to vote. Like you said the leaders will not come to power. in this case the president is not the only person that fix the country.

    11. I agree with you because citizens have to vote to choose a good leader. So my point is that citizens have power over the country. Leader are leaders today because of citizens by voting unless in situations of monarchy.
      In a Democratic society, the people vote and put people in power. If they do not, the leaders will not be there. Therefore, power lies in the hand of the electorate and not the elected.

    12. Wow that was a wonderful comment you have made because the media only serves as a watch dog to the government and to the people so they only have the responsibility of passing the information to the people and they can only pass an information in accordance to what they have heard or to what information they have gotten from the government. After passing an information to the people, it’s now left for the people to practice what they heard depending on what they were told by the media. Same applies to election because even if the media has done their work or job by telling the voters to go and cast their vote, it’s now left for them to go and elect their preferred candidate to represent him or her in the government.This means that the leader can’t become a leader on his own. They have to go through the due process which can only be done by the people or the electorate.

      Their is always a room for corrections because I can’t know it all.

      THANKS!

    13. Hello talented cicada i agree with you that is us the citizens that has the power in democracy. they citizens has the right to vote and to be voted for. they are they ones that chose their leader that will govern them through periodic elections to represent them at all levels of government for a fixed tenure. like you said that Abraham Lincoln defines democracy as the people by the people and for the people and also democracy helps citizens to choose who will rule them or govern them like who will be their president for 4 years. it is also the best system of government that guides or followed by the citizens that enable to elect those that will rule them.

    14. I agree with your point because without the people then no leader can lead as no matter what leaders must have the people on their side. People in society should have the most power in democracy because its their lives that get affected by the decitions of leaders so they should be in a bit of control too.

      1. I agree with busy_trumpet because democracy is a powerful form of government that empowers people to have a life of freedom and power. citizens voice their opinions and make a difference.
        I have a question for you "What are your thoughts on this?"

    15. Hi.
      In a proper democratic country, the people should have the power. Yet, in so many corrupted democratic countries, the power is abused in the hands of the leaders. Why? Greed is a major cause of corruption. Money that is to be put into national projects are squandered personally by the government. They then bribe the media and other citizens who know about their crimes with this project money to keep quiet about it.
      The people are to have the proper power because democracy is defined as government of the people, for the people and by the people. This means the people are actually the ones that formed the government and elected their leaders for their benefit. The media is still part and working for the people so the people are to have the power in a democratic country.
      Thank you.

      1. Hi, agree with you that the citizens have the power because without voters who is going vote for their to be the leader. some of the leaders can be corrupted for money not for the people,it can cause problems in the society that lead to climate change around the global warming that can turn the world to a bad place. For example like pollution from factories. it is the voters and the citizens that should be able to decide on their new leader.
        Thank you.😃

      2. I strongly disagree with you committed_writer because the media is in charge of telling people the winner and what is happening around us. The candidate can give money to the electoral bodies, the media could find out if they cheated or not. The media is very important and powerful.
        What I'm trying to say is that the media is the voice of the people and a powerful tool to the people and the people.

        1. Hi.
          I understand your point of view but it seems you didn't understand the last paragraph of my post. The media is still part of the people. It is just a division of the people that is keep the others more informed about the happenings in a country. Afterall, a country can't exist without the people. The media has great power in democracy but it has been invested in them by the people and constitution. You said the media is the voice of the people; the fact it is their voice means it is still a part or division of them.
          Thank you.

    16. Some might say that the leader has the most power, because they can make decisions and influence policies. Others might argue that the voters have the most power, because they can elect or remove the leader and hold them accountable. And still others might claim that the media has the most power, because they can shape public opinion and sway the voters. In reality, all three have some power, but also some limitations. The leader cannot ignore the will of the people, the voters cannot control everything that happens in the government, and the media cannot manipulate everyone's beliefs. The best way to ensure a healthy democracy is to have a balance of power among these three actors, and to have an informed and engaged citizenry that participates actively in the democratic process.

    17. Hello talented_cicada I agree with you . You are right that in voting, voters have more power because they have all right to vote who they want as a leader, not the one that is being imposed on the people or determining who they will vote for. Also it is true that if you aren't elected by voters, you can't force them to choose you it is their choice.

    18. I strongly disagree with you talented_cicada because it is the media that is the most power.
      Because it is the media that tells the citizens what is happening in the country. The media can also shape what is really happening. Take for instant there is an election as the same time a political incident. Different media stations will say different things on what the heard or the things the found. What am trying to say is that if people listens to the news it will shape their beliefs.

      1. You'v really opened my eyes to learn new things but have you forgotten that if people or voters don't come out to cast their votes, you're definitely not going to have any leader in your country today as it stands?I'm not trying to say that the media don't have any power or most power in the political system but I'm just trying to let you know that it is the people that owns or rader holds the country in their hands.

    19. I disagree with you because the media has a great impact on the decision of the people. In my country, Nigeria the media is an essential part of elections. The media have a great amount of influence as a lot of people look to the media to get hold of information such as the financial background of their candidate and some people depend of the media to even know who to vote for. Some media channels are even owned by some of the candidates. Some may decide to call it corruption especially if the channel is promoting a particular candidate but I think it is a great way to get votes. In the past Nigerian election, a news channel known as Television Continental Broadcasting Service (TVC) was promoting the election of one particular candidate and it was perfectly legal as a matter of fact, the candidate who was endorsed won the presidential election

    20. I agree with you also social media campaign has the power to influence the choice of voters and channel their mind towards a preferred candidate sometimes it does not really matter if the candidate is credible or not once the candidate is liked by a social media influencers with large followers, they can use their platform to campaign for such individual.

    21. I really agree that the voters have the power because there can't be an election without people, literally it implies that an election is a political activity in which people in a country vote for their leader, there is no other means when a candidate becomes a leader in democratic rule. Most times, people vote and the candidate with the highest vote wins so if the people or voters do not vote, there will be not election and they have the power to put whomever they want to put in office.
      Therefore, i feel the people have the power in elections.

    22. I believe the voters are equal to the candidates as both should have the countries best interest at heart and should work together against corruption.

    23. Yes of course I really agree with you talented cicada because according to Abraham Lincoln who defined democracy as the power of the people by the people and for the people, I believe that it is we the individuals and voters who made up our mind to elect our leader through voting in election. Remember that the leaders were been elected by the votes so if they don't do their works proper as leaders the votes also have the right and authority to bring he leader down. Also, if we don't elect anybody as leaders, no body can climb that power and say that he or she is a leader because it is the people that has the highest power to qualify anybody as ruler.
      The reason why sometimes it will be like the as if he leaders has more powers than the voter is because they might bribe both the electoral bodies and the voters in other for them to win the election which is not acceptable and also against the rule of the land but apart from that, the leader in someplace has the power more than the voters in the sense that
      for example they can make a rule of where to stay for business and where not to stay. Not only that, where the government has the most power is if they live an examplary life and also when they abide by the rules which is supremacy of power that is when the voters or individuals will bend down and obey whatever he or she says then life goes on happily and everybody are happy.
      Thank you.

    24. I agree because I feel if those voters have no control over the leaders there would be total chaos and anarchy and that person would become a tyrant and the voters have no way to oppose the government cause they don't have any power.

    25. I will have to disagree with you talented_ cicada, the reason being is that it is true that the voters are those who vote but I think the media have the most power in a democracy. This is because how they paint out a leader to be will affect where or not the voters will vote for that leader. For example, in my country, there is a famous exposer who works for the BBC, he has ruined the chances of great people becoming the leaders just with his exposé about their suspicious bribery scandals. This goes to show that the media have the most power in a democracy.

    26. I agree with you talented cicada, the voters have the power in a democracy like you said if the voters don't cast their votes there will be no leader and if the elections are not taken place the media will not be able to announce the winner of the elections so for me the voters are the head of the democracy and if there are no voters there will be no democracy.

    27. I absolutely concur with your valid perspective which is illustrated by examples and thorough points. Voters play a crucial role in the proper regulation of elections. Democracy is about the community and therefore the voters. Leaders are only elected due to voters, so all their power comes from them. Voters are the ones that decide which face and candidate would be more profitable and promising for the collective avail of the country.

    28. Honestly I disagree with your opinion. I disagree because, yes, the voter may be able to chose who they want as there leader but ita not granted that the candidate they want with win. So, some voters my have power but not all do.

    29. I agree with you talented_cicada because voters are the ones who will vote for who ever they want according to the way they know or like that person.If you as a politician you did not get elected,never give up your time will come as Abram Lincoln's time did.
      THANK YOU ♥️

    30. I agree the voters vote who they want and why. People think the leader has the most power but w/o the voters their would be no leader in a democracy election.

    31. Hello Talented_cicada
      I agree, but at the same time I think that we can be wrong.
      I think that we have to think about like.. Is it the right idea to let the citizens have all the power because they can be manipulated by one of the leaders and pick the wrong choice. Are you sure that the citizens will make the right choice? Will they not be manipulated?

    32. I agree strongly because the voters do have the power since they are the ones who are voting. The leader is waiting to be elected so the leader is basically just sitting there and waiting. The voters decide to vote who they want to be elected. However the Electoral College way of voting is unfair but fast and uses a way of majority. The leaders may like this way because the more votes they have the better chance they have of winning.

    33. Hi topical talkers,
      According to my own understanding and opinion, I believe and agree that it is the voters that have the highest power in democracy because the leaders are been elected by the electorate which is the voters so for people to have have a leader, the voters are the people to determine that because democracy is the power by the people, for the people and to the people defined by Abraham Lincoln so the people is still the voters and they have the most powers in democracy system of government.

  • The voters are clearly the ones who have the most power in a democratic system. Voters are people who choose the leader, they could be called followers who vote for the rep of their respective countries. In most countries, people below 18 aren't allowed to vote.
    The reason why I think voters have the power is population, I should have said the media but the media personnels are also voters is because when a politician wants to make a decision he could ask the population what they think. And they could rise up in one voice
    After all democracy is the will of the people.
    Democracy is a system practiced by the people, for the people and of the people.

    1. I agree with you that voters have the choice the to vote who they want as their leader,but the majority is'nt always right.For example a particular set of people might know the down sides of a candidate and the majority may not.If that person ends up winning the election the person might end as a tribalist the country would definetly be a biased one. For instance, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not pracrice democracy but more of monarchial system of leadeship and it has so far worked for them.

    2. Hi, spirited concept
      I personally agree with your point of view towards the hub, why because yes the electorates (the people who vote) are truly the main people who has the power in the system of democracy, through what you said that yes, democracy is( by the people, for the people and of the people) so with all what you have with just that statement signifies that yes the people are actually the ones who has the most power in the system of democracy.
      Thanks

    3. I don't really think under 18s shouldn't be allowed to vote it should be around 16 as that is the usual age where the mind develops into adulthood aside from that the usual military drafting requirement is 16 years and someone having to be in the heat of battle and not even being able to choose who puts them there seems slightly unfair, don't you think so as well?

    4. I agree with you spirited concept because the leader cant get elected unless they can prove to the people that they are worthy of being elected, the people are their own voice who gets to choose who's voice represents them worldwide. Since power is the population leaders have no choice but to have good character and are able to correctly represent the people.

  • Firstly, democracy is a system of government in which qualified adult citizens participate in government either directly or indirectly through their elected representatives. In democracy, power is supposed to be allocated to the people (the minority). When looking at the history of democracy, it originated from the dissatisfaction of people towards aristocracy. In modern times, democracy seems to be diverting towards aristocracy again. I will be using Nigeria my country as a point of focus. To run and win a presidential election in my country, at least $2billion mut be spent. With this, only the elites and the rich can contest for elections which is the main aim of aristocracy. This kills innovation in those who are not privileged enough to have that kind of money.
    Election candidates sometimes form false manifestoes in order to steal the votes of the minority. When put in power, they simply forget that they are meant to be representatives and they tend to focus more on their personal issues. People lack power after the elections because the person that was elected whether corrupt or not will have supreme power to make decisions that may not even favor the people. IF people want to take measures such as protest t impeach the bad leader, force would be used on them and might hurt innocent civilians who just want to fight for their right.
    In summary, although democracy was meant to be a system of government that allows popular participation, it has turned into an avenue where the rich and powerful can exercise more power. But in some cases, democracy actually serves the people because of the values that their representative upholds.

  • Hello Topical Talkers,
    According to my point of view, I think that it is up to the voters of that election to choose who they want to be their leader. Elections depend on the people voting. The only task that the candidates of that election have is to "keep their hopes up", and promise that they would be good leaders if they become the head of that province.
    Finally, it is the voters that have the power to choose or rather elect the individuals that they want to lead them. The candidates for the elections are not supposed to interfere with the election process. Any candidate that interferes with the election proces would be regarded as a cheater and would be accused of rigging and would be penalized for that because it is against the laws of any province.
    THANK YOU!!!

    1. Very true, left to me an election comprises of two sides, the voters and the campaigners, but there is only one side that decides the outcome of the election and that is the voters side, let us face it, if the voters vote for contestant B more than contestant A then it means that Contestant B has won, elections are a very tough period for both the voters and campaigners, will the campaigners win, and will the voters vote for the right leaders.

      1. I whole heartedly agree with you because it is said that the election is meant for the people or the voters which means that, if the people did not cast their vote, there wont be any leader in the country and there will be no expectation for change in the country.

        LESS JOIN OUR HANDS TOGETHER TO MAKE OUR COUNTRY A BETTER PLACE.

    2. I disagree because in some countries the candidates have more power. At times, some candidates own media outlets and while it is legal for them to be endorsed by the media, I feel it is wrong for the media to villainize the name of another candidate. some candidates who own media outlets use their power to make the name of another look bad. this could greatly affect the outcome of the election as the media has a lot of influence on the people. some candidates also buy votes by giving the people something they need such as food. This is known as corruption in my perspective and when a leader like this is elected, the well being of the country is in jeopardy because it shows that they can buy their way out of anything.

  • It is out of the question at least for me that democracy should be in the power of voters.
    The origins of democracy lies in the idea that citizens can vote directly on laws and governments.
    The leader is the representative of the voters and he should abide to their decisions.
    It is the people that give the power to government and if it is handled with the wrong way from the government , people should demand for new elections.

  • Hello everyone, I would like to discuss about the problems that might happen if people see fake news before they vote:
    1. Change of decision, post-election regret and misinformation: Many voters during electoral periods generally get involved more in news consuming and are liable to follow the news they are given in order to know the candidate to vote, some voters may already know who they want to vote, but when they see bad news about who they are voting for, they tend to go against their original choice thinking who they want to vote for is a bad person, meanwhile, it was planned by the possibly the people who want to vote against that candidate or even the opposing candidate in person in order to win. This causes confusion among the voters who may vote for the wrong person, meanwhile, their original choice was a better option, if the voters then realize their mistake, it may be late and they may not be able to correct their mistake. A sad example of such is the case of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu who they claim to cheat during election, give fake promises and even give fake information about him on social media and we currently are suffering in our country, with high costs of living and lack of payment of salaries for government workers.
    2.Wars: If some people see news about their candidate and see that it is fake, they may possibly go to war because they think it is a plan against their candidate not to win an election and begin to fight those who do not support their candidate.
    3. Threat to democracy: Due to the fact that the news are fake, they make people to think that the democratic system of government is bad because of the wrong information they receive in the news and their wrong decision that follows and begin to protest about it and hate the system of government, which makes democracy to be at high risk.
    In conclusion, the effects of voters getting false information to fake news during elections are very dangerous, so during electoral periods, voters should be careful with the kind of information they listen to during electoral periods.
    Thank you for reading.

  • If you believe in democracy, you believe in choice, but do all democracies have a real choice? or only a selection of what is available? Only once you know where the power lies can we decide who has it. We can vote for political parties, but not the leader, the political parties can change the leader but still stay in power. People are only given the "power" during an election, but between these 5 year events are effectively powerless. The media have power only if the leaders or governments allow them a platform to broadcast from with the correct viewpoint. Because of this, maybe no one has power or we all do, which is democratic! Should people have the power to make choices based on limited knowledge and understanding? Is it right to ask the public to vote on something which has been influenced by a government backed media or third party online agendas?

  • Nice topic.
    In my own opinion the people that has the most power in a democracy is the MEDIA, before you can be voted for or hold rallies and campaign for an election the media has to pass the message to all sources and area to inform citizens of the upcoming election.the information will be passed through various means like radio, television, newspaper and online just as Richard said in the video.

    Reason why I chose the media is because, even if the voters vote for the candidate they want it can still be rigged and they will still engage in all sought of malpractice,so I don't think there is still need for them to cast their vote in a corrupt system seen it does not count.
    If election are being rigged the media will always publish it and if it is fair it will still be published by the media "they serve as watch dog to the government".
    All we need to have is a fair system,as Richard said all citizens are eligible to participate in voting and hold office,but now only old and rich people are allowed, which is unfair.

    1. Well done for listening carefully to our expert!

  • Voters should be able to choose their leader as this person should represent their beliefs.
    This is democracy, a situation where voters have the right to choose the one that they thing will be the best to lead their country.
    Democracy comes from the word "demos cratos" in ancient Greece which means "people power".
    If a leader takes this power then we are talking about monarchy and if the media have this power then we are talking about oligarchy as a few people will lead the country.
    I hope that people will understand hoe important is voting during elections because if more people are taking part, more their voice will be heard.

    1. I agree with you
      I believe that the voters should have the power. Democracy is a way to govern but by the votes of citizens as it allows them to vote the leader and the representatives.
      If they feel that they are not appropriately represented they can even claim their right s by protesting in order to expert their disbelief on the government that leads them
      Media should inform fairly the citizens about what is happening in the political system and on their country in general in order to help them choose the appropriate leader

  • Hi everyone,
    From my own Perspective I will say that it is the media who has the most power in the democracy why because, when it comes down to the spread of the news and awareness of the democracy the has to tell us all that part takes in it so as to make the people aware of what is going on during and after the election so as there will be "free press" for the journalists so as they could be an easy and free mind to speared the news without being afraid of the government is going to do. Actually in some countries like Nigeria the leader that is the head of state "president " power over the media which the term "free press" is not given to them but should so as there could be a free spread of news about whatever is going on in the country but if it is for the whole news it should be spread without fear. So in conclusion the media is the most influential when it comes to democracy .Thanks .

  • Hi everyone! 👋🏼

    In my opinion, in a democratic system, the voters hold the most power as they have the ability to choose who they want to lead them. The votes and decisions of the voters influence who gets into power, and if a leader is not elected by the voters, they cannot go into power. This is why Abraham Lincoln famously defined democracy as "government of the people, by the people, for the people" 🗳️.

    However, in some countries, corruption takes place, and those in power do not give the people the power they deserve, leading to coups. Therefore, I believe that the voters should hold the power as they are the ones who are affected by the decisions made by those in power.

    Furthermore, the media also plays a significant role in the democratic process as it has the power to influence people's opinions and decisions. 📰📺💻

    Thank you! 😊

  • My opinion on this is that the voters has more power, because the voters are the one who will choose the person who would be in power, without the voters an election can't take place.
    That's why every contestant must give their manifesto and make promises which they would fulfill in order to be elected by the voters.

  • Hi
    In my opinionThe person who has power is the leaders because the people voted for him/her every leaders should be using the power to help the country but their will be using it bad issue that can affect the country in a bad way.it can lead poverty, pollution of wastes that can lead to water out.the that their voting for should be careful of their choosing of their leaders.
    Thanks🙂

    1. Thank you for that wonderful comment Of yours, but I will like to ask you this questions, without the electorate’s(voters), do you think that the leaders will be elected into sea?.
      So I know that both the voters, media and the leaders work hand-in-hand in a democratic system of government but even at that the voters are still considered as the people that has the most power because they are the ones to elect the leaders with their votes for a fixed term of office during periodic elections.
      And finally I will like to defend myself by giving you the definition of democracy which says that democracy is the government of the people. by the people, and for the people.
      By Abraham Lincoln, so as you can see everything revolves around the voters.
      THANK YOU……

    2. However, don't you also think as citizens,we can also try to stop it? We can take action to stop it.As you mentioned,we are the ones who elect and select our leaders,so we can try to stop it from happening.We are progressive and honest citizens of a country so,we can do it and prevent harm to our nation.

  • In my own understanding, it is the electorate that is the voters, they are the one that has most power in a democracy. I will like to say that Democracy refers to a system of government in which the citizens are are been allowed to vote in other to choose their leader during periodic election who will represente them in the government.
    So Democracy has to do with the citizens because it is their duties to vote during the periodic election, and elections depends on the people voting, so in a case whereby you are not been voted for by the electorates, that means that you cant go into power because it is not a dictatorship government but rather a democratic government, and this is the reason why democracy can also be defined as a government of the people, by the people and for the people, if you look at this definition you will see that everything revolves around the citizens.
    finally, for a democracy to hold in a particular country, the citizens has the most power.

  • In my honest opinion, the voters in a democracy have more power because they get to choose whether or not they want this leader to represent the voters. The leader has to depend on the type of voters that will vote for them so they can be more popular within the community. If voters do not choose if they want this leader or not, then the leader won't be able to represent the community that they are in.

    1. Hi,
      I strongly agree with you, the voters chose who will represent them and their community and so they really do hold the most power when it comes to a democracy. Candidates have to campaign and show why they should have the position and if they are deserving of it and if they will use it for help or not and all those factors are determined by the voters.

  • In my opinion, I think that voters have power in a democracy because they have the opportunity to cast out their votes. I say so because if a leader wants to cast out their votes they need voters to vote them, and if they are not voted they will not be able to lead. So voters are the ones who chose f
    a candidate. Also elections depends on the people who want to vote, if a candidate wants to vote, they are meant to have good character. I don't think candidates are suppose to interfer in the discussions the voters have to make at all.
    Thank you!!!

  • Voters, in my opinion, have the most power in a democracy because, as citizens, they can choose who to elect or cast their ballots. If a candidate tries to rig the election, I guarantee you won't be a good leader—instead, you will introduce corruption into the nation. Moreover, it's possible that the candidate hasn't been elected as leader, so he or she can't just hold onto power and steal votes. According to the wise man, "the people, by the people, and for the people"
    I'm grateful 😁

    1. Maybe voters have the most power but according to my point of view I think that even if voters have the most power , the electoral commission can accept bribe and terminate the election and the people will be disappointed and this will bring down the mora's of the voters .

      1. That is a very good point 👌motivated_elephant, Consider it. We all know that an electoral commission oversees the conduct of elections, but in my opinion, if the commission is bribed and the election is called off, do you really think that the voters will simply stay and follow the electoral commission's "bribed votes counting"? Additionally, remember that voters and citizens have the legal right to take any legal action.
        I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this.

      2. Yes of course motivated elephant, I solidly agree with you opinion because according to my own point of view the voters are been seen as the leaders of the country because it is their votes that speaks who rules them country. The voters are the electorate who participates while during election by voting in other to elect their political leader to govern them. The voters has the most powers in the country in the sense that without their votes then no one rules the country and they also have the right to remove a leader from his or her position if they don’t govern them well but the political leaders has made corruption to takeover power from them in the sense that even the electoral bodies known as INEC are been bribed to give another party the highest vote count whereas it is not the party that wins the election. The leaders can also misconduct the voters in the sense that voters can also be bribed which is jobbery in election. For example, the governmental and presidential election that took place in my country last year was not a fair election. In an actual sense, the voters still has the highest power in the country as far as democracy system of government is concerned. It is in military system that the leaders has the highest power as a leader.
        Mind you, in democracy system of government, the leader or president don’t have the right to make or take decisions on their own so in that case, he or she has to involve people’s concern to take the right decision.
        In conclusion, the voters still remains the people with the most power in democracy.
        Thanks.

      3. I agree with you because, in Nigeria during the elections that took place in 2023.The people partially had the power to choose their leader because, most of the electoral bodies where bribed to favor a particular candidate. And the elections turned out to be rigged. I think that before elections are conducted, the candidates should be given strict warnings about bribery and corruption. If these candidates go against these set laws the should be given severe punishments for putting a country in danger of electing bad leaders.

  • I believe that the media has the most power in a democracy. The media is the main source of information for voters. With false information, the media can easyly change the tide of an election. Though it is who the voters decide to vote for that matters, it is the media that determines who the voters will vote for. Overall, the media can provide false or biased information to voters which will dramatically change the course of an election which means that the media controls the voting.

    1. I disagree because even though media has a certain influence on people's opinion, the ultimate power lies with the voters. People have many sources for information to help them tell what is true and what is fake. They vote on the basis of their own values and thoughts, rather than the media's view. I think that in a democracy, its not what the media says that matters, its what the people think that plays a big part. That is why I tend to believe that the media does not completely control voting. Like the saying goes democracy is the government of, by and for the people.

      1. Thank you for your contribution. Your opinion has impacted and changed by opinion but I do not agree with you. I believe that the leader has the most power. The media is not just news. Yes people might have other sources of information but, the media is what influences most of the different sources. The leaders have money and use the money to monopolize the media. In this day and time, money is power. Though there might be a couple of sources that provide correct and reliable information, most people will not even see it let alone listen to it. Most people go along with what is more popular. The leaders will have influenced the media and the media will influence most of the sources. People will follow the most popular and biggest information sources. Yes, the power lies in the people, the people and basically controlled by strings made with money.

  • In my own opinion , I think that the leader has the power to get what ever he/she wants, I say this because sometimes some leaders don't even get as much as vote they can so they would bring corruption to play it's part , the leader would bribe the organization from the polling center which promotes bribery and corruption into our country .
    In my perspective I think that voters should have the power ,I say this because in a democratic country setting the voters are the one casting their vote for a candidate ,that should count, but then it would be like their effort was wasted for nothing because of how some countries have become so corrupt.

  • Hi Topical Talkers. Democracy is defined as government for the people by the people. So for me the most important people are the voters. They people decide who leads them. The power of choice lies with the power. The outcome of any elections generally affects them for or for bad.
    The media has the responsibility to guide the people aright without any biases. Yes, the play important role but at the end of the day, they are still part of the people. They must be neutral in presenting the candidates to the people because people tend to believe what see and read.
    The leaders are chosen from the people, they are there to serve the interest of the people. Hence, the people outrank them because they are the ones who put them in the office.
    So for me, it is the people first, followed by the media and finally the elected officers.

  • When we talk about a democratic government we talk about giving the power to choose leaders to the people. In an ideal democratic government, the people should hold the power to choose their leaders. The media can be a means of helping the people choose good leaders. The leaders only gain power when they have been voted in. But i also believe that the people should hold the power to remove any leader that is abusing their office. Overall the people should be the most powerful group in a democratic system. Democracy is often defined as "rule by the people". This means the people are meant to have the power in the country to choose who they want to lead them and to also remove anyone they feel is incompetent or corrupt.

  • I think in a democracy, the voters should have most power. The reason I think it should be so because when the rulers have all the power, there would be tyranny. Tyranny is the cruel and oppressive rule by government. By distributing power among the citizens as voters, there will be prevention of tyranny. Concentrating power on the government only can cause abuse and oppression. The voice of voters was something created by democracy to checkmate such happenings. An example of where tyranny occurred because of too much power in the government was in ancient Rome. The Roman Republic slowly became an empire, and some emperors wielded absolute power. This allowed them to exploit their authority and made them become cruel. It also improves accountability because when voters hold most of the power, elected officials have to be accountable or else they lose their power. Regular elections allow citizens to assess the performance of a government and decide if they should rule or not. This way government will have to do a good job if they want to keep their place. Government therefore have no choice but to act in the best interest of the public.

  • Hi,there.
    In a democracy, people have the most power. In my opinion, democracy is a system of governance of the state where the people vote to elect proper candidates to make rules and develop the state. In democracy, the sovereign power is vested in the hands of the people. People are the source of all power of country. People vote political parties or individuals to develop their country . Later elected candidates form the government and run the state. Also in the country all the work of proposing, formulating and making laws etc. is done by the elected representatives of the people. If the people do not vote for a representative then he cannot come to power. In this way, through the ages, the appropriate representatives have been elected through the people's vote and elevated their own country to the world.
    On the other hand, many times the ruling parties want to maintain their power by paying bribes. As a result there is no recognition of people's rights and opinions. The entire state is governed by the will and reluctance of a party. I think, in this case, proper steps must be taken to create a fair, free and participatory election.
    Thanks a lot.

  • Hello Topical Talkers
    My opinion on this is that the people should have the power, and this is real democracy. Democracy is a government for the people, of the people and with the people . The citizens in the country should be the ones with power because it is their votes that elects leaders. They also have the power when necessary to impeach leaders who aren't leading the people in the way they generally want to go. I think that in elections, agencies like IFEC should always inspect the votes the people give to prevent corruption. If 56% of people vote for a leader and corruption/ bribery occurs and another wins, it can rise riots and protests because the whole point of the democratic election was to select the leader with the most votes as that is the majority of the people's choices. I also think that organisations like IFEC should be formed all round the world and equally expand to more countries, not only to 145 countries but to eventually all the democratic countries in the world to prevent all electoral corruptions.

  • Hi, I'm fun_conclusion, I believe that the media has the power, anything that politicians are afraid of is the media. During the election in my country a candidate went viral through his good deeds on the media most people even out of the country in places like USA, Canada, Niger and United kingdom.
    The other candidates were even afraid.

  • The person who has the most power in democracy is the voters because they are they ones that choose their leaders and it is their fault that some of the countries we have now are rotten people are given a certain age at which the can start voting but some are still facing with peer pressure and are easily influenced,but I will not blame it all on the voters they media also take part in the choosing of elections from what I have noticed they cheat and rig elections to choose bad leaders so they too play a significant role in choosing leaders.For the president he can elect himself indirectly by making a good speech which they people are interested on and if his character is good he can be elected so all this three play a significant role.

  • HELLO,
    I think that it is the voters that have the most power in democracy. I say this because they are the ones that determine who will lead them through voting at the elections and this will cause them to choose the candidate that is worthy enough to lead them. For an instance if democracy is corrupt in a particular country, candidates that are not worthy enough to win because of one reason primarily;
    Bribery: They can bribe some of the voters to vote for them with the use of money to win the elections. When they do this the voters themselves know that if that person is voted, he can lead the country astray and make it doomed.
    In conclusion, I just say that it is the voters that have the most power in democracy and they can either choose to lead the country to paradise or doom if the are willing to collect bribes given to them by some of the candidates.
    THANK YOU.

  • I think that the voters have the most power, even if people can do corrupted things to get their way to the top. The voters can have protests and vote for the right person that they think will be able to help them in the society. The democracy system's foundation is based on voting. Without voters the democracy will never stand or continue. The voters are most important components of democracy,
    Democracy started with the efforts of the acient Greeks that means democracy started from a long time ago.
    The rights that people should have when voting
    1 Freedom
    2 Equality
    3 Obligations
    4 Rights
    in conclusion we all need to vote for the rights person.

  • i agree with you because if the people tho not cast there vote there will not be a leader for the people and the power is to the people to choose there leader.

  • Hi topical talkers,
    I will love to share my opinion on the people that has most power in a democracy. For me, the voters are the ones who have more power in democracy because it is them that choose or elect the leaders because without them they won't be leaders in our various countries practicing the Democratic system of government.
    In other for everyone to be practicing the Democratic system of government, the citizens should be enlightened especially those living in the rural areas about the importance of electing those who will lead the country to promote national development.

  • Whenever we're talking about democracy, I think that it is the people who are the voters that have more power. According to Abraham Lincoln democracy is defined as; the rules of the people,by the people and for the people. I think that with this definition it is clearly depicted that when it comes to democracy the people have more say in government because; the voters are the one who will elect the leader that will represent them in government house or the parliament so I think with this the people have more say in government.
    The leader also has power when it comes to democracy because once someone is been elected as a leader he/she is the one that represents the opinion of the people.
    The media is one of the agent of socialization. The media has a role to play in democracy because they also have power in shearing and passing information about political parties, they can also help in shearing news , if political parties want to hold rallies, campaign etc.
    The voters, the leader and the media; they all have a role to play when it comes to democracy. So if they could come together they will achieve a lot and by doing this it will be beneficial to everyone.
    What are your thoughts on this?
    Thanks......

  • I think voters has the most power in democracy. The voters hold the most essential power in shaping the democratic process. Democracy was introduced in ancient time in Greece. The main purpose of it was to work for the nation. Democracy is a system where adult citizens participate to vote in election. They choose their leader to lead their country. They choose the government who presents their interest. A leader works as a representative of the nation in front of the world. A leader or a local representative works for the nation. They make their program based on which the nation has interest. Leader works for the well being of the country. If they failed to do so, the nation will lose their hopes and they won't vote the candidate again.
    That's why Prof. Gettel said, "A system of government in which the people have the right to participate in the exercise of sovereign power is a democracy. " It highlights the importance of the voters to vote for the candidate who they want. It means that voters should have the most power in democracy.

  • Hello topical talkers in my own opinion the citizen have more power in democracy cuz they're the ones who choose their future leaders. As a leader we all think the leader has more power in the democracy but the future of your leadership leads in the citizen's hand because the citizen are the ones who choose the leaders which will have a big impact on the communities. Thank you

  • I think that the voters are the ones that have the most power in democracy. I say this because without the voters there will be no government so they are already out of it and without the votersa the media will not have much to say about elections because there will be a lack of information about the elections, so this also means that the voters are the most powerful in election because they form the government and they make up information for the media.
    THANK YOU.

  • Hi....
    I think The voters have the direct authority to deliberate and decide legislation. In a representative democracy, the people choose governing officials through elections to do so.The leader plays an important role but after election. The media also plays a vital role in election. The voters is the main power in democracy. If the leader are not elected by voters he can stand in a democratic country. Voter's have the most power in democracy because without the voter's we wouldn't have a leader.So, The voters of a country is the main power in election/vote and also Against corruption.
    Thank you.

  • Hi topical talkers,
    In my opinion I think that the people with the most power in democracy are the voters because without them the IFEC will not know the right candidate to choose and may make a mistake by choosing the wrong candidate and the party will not be able to make the change that they promised they will do.

    But the people that should have the power should be the media because the media knows them best because most of them are always on social media and expose their own way of life and lifestyle so they will do know the right decision to make.
    Thanks¡😊

    1. I agree because... In a democratic system, the voters play a vital role as they hold hold the power to elect their leaders. Without the participation of the voters, the process of selecting a leader cannot be completed.

  • Greetings
    Well I agree that voters have more
    power,the politicians provide voters fundamental rights, human rights, rights to vote it's their choice whom to vote for. Well votes are done everywhere but matters that the voting is FAIR or UNFAIR votings are even done in North Korea which is under a bad dictatorship but their the rule is that if anyone votes against Kim Jong Un so that person will be accepted as an anti - national, so matters only FAIR or UNFAIR voting so this persuadation also shows the power of leaders but the most important thing is that politicians provide them everything and people and if the government does any wrong thing so people would soon realise the exploitive nature of the government well none of the Indian government did something bad for Indian citizens there is a line said MODI SARKAR KI GUARANTEE in this the government provides healthcare, food, shelter, a good life facilities so I think that 4.2 billion people are slowly getting a good life but there are FAIR elections in India.

    Thank you!!!

  • In my opinion, power should be distributed among all three entities—the leader, the voters, and the media. This ensures a balanced system where no single entity has more power or authority. Elected officials, such as the president, prime minister, or members of parliament, hold significant power within a democracy. However, I feel that in a healthy democracy, leaders are not meant to wield unchecked power. This could mean that if the leader or leaders are corrupt, they can use this power for personal gain. In a truly democratic system, decisions should be made based on the majority's preferences, and elected representatives have to listen and respond to the needs and worries of the people they represent.

  • In my view of course the power has the citizens as we are living in a democratic society where the majority should form and shape the norms of each society or community.
    However when a leader is elected then this person should take on his hands the command of the society and represent it in the best way.
    A leader should never forget that he is not an oligarch but a person that follows the power the people gave him

  • Nowadays I personally think that the most power has the media. The media in a nanosecond can change everyone's minds.
    A fake video or a video showing only the positive or only the negative characteristics of a leader can immediately change the perspectives over him.
    However in a democratic society I think that the media should not have this power. This power should only be attributed to people, specifically the voters. If we achieve that voters have total control then this could be called democracy.

    1. Well said powerful_attitude.
      In today's world, I believe that the media holds immense power. With just a single moment, the media can sway the opinions of the masses. Whether through fabricated videos or by showcasing only a leader's positive or negative traits, the media can swiftly alter public perception. Nevertheless, in a democratic society, I do not think the media should wield such influence. This authority should reside solely with the people, particularly the voters. If we can ensure that voters have absolute control, then we can truly refer to it as democracy.

      Thank you.

  • In my opinion voters own the power because in Indian constitution it is clearly mentioned that people have right to vote and elect their leader and they are totally deservable to chose their leader as this is all about them . Citizens of every nation wish a leader who can stand for them ,one who can support them , who can work to develop education and health system , one who will work for development and betterment of the country and one who can fulfill their each and every needs and provide them high class facilities without any discrimination among rich and poor this is what people's dream and they themselves have power in their hands to make the right decision . From topical talk indian election quiz I have got to know that more than eighty countries are going to have elections in 2024 . In many of these countries voters are being influenced by media publicity and campaigns runned by the candidates even in some countries votes are buyed by paying money and are influenced by things and precious items given by the candidates as gifts and in return they want that you should vote them just because of this only citizens of the countries are not able to make a right decision .due to this development and economical state of the countries are being effected .In last I would like to say that it's people choice to whom they want to see the next leader and they should not be influenced by any source as again they themselves have the power to make the decision .
    THANK YOU

  • In a democracy, I think that the media has the most power. It can easily influence people into voting for one candidate or another. It can create somebody's reputation or ruin it. I believe that fake news are often a problem, since they make people believe something that is not true.
    I think that they are mostly hard to depict, especially when they are mixed with true ones. I have noticed that it often happens for a story to change when it is transmitted from person to person. For example, at first we might be talking about somebody's empty bag that was stolen. As the story is passed by, people will somehow start saying that in the bag was a pair of expensive erings, then that there also was a wallet and then that the victim was slightly injured. I think that something similar happens when a story passes from news source to news source. Each one could change or add something, so that it will attract more people to read it. Changing even the smallest detail can lead people to misunderstanding what happened and blame the wrong person. I would also add that while this could be done to reach a wider audience, it could happen for only certain news to be presented. I think that tons of things could be going on in the world, but if the news are not presenting them, almost nobody will know about them.

  • I think the media has the most power be mainline media or social media. The media shape the mind of the people. The determine what they want you hear and see and they determine how they want you to see these things. The media shape our views.
    In election, a bad candidate with large pool of money can easily win election through the power of the media. He can use his resources and buy of the media houses and buy off social media influencers who will be everywhere promoting their interest and bullying everyone who dares to speak up against their preferred' candidate. This becomes a media war. The last election in my country witnessed a massive social media war as all influencer went after each other trying to sell their candidate.
    In conclusion, objective media will take the interest of the people first and properly educate the people on all the candidates so that they easily choose who to lead them. They are the ones to dig into each candidate's life in order to know who they really are. Without the media, the people can easily vote based on religion, ethnicity and other forms of sentiment but media is out there to direct the people.
    Thank you.

  • I think the media has the most power be mainline media or social media. The media shape the mind of the people. The determine what they want you hear and see and they determine how they want you to see these things. The media shape our views.
    In election, a bad candidate with large pool of money can easily win election through the power of the media. He can use his resources and buy of the media houses and buy off social media influencers who will be everywhere promoting their interest and bullying everyone who dares to speak up against their preferred' candidate. This becomes a media war. The last election in my country witnessed a massive social media war as all influencer went after each other trying to sell their candidate.
    In conclusion, objective media will take the interest of the people first and properly educate the people on all the candidates so that they easily choose who to lead them. They are the ones to dig into each candidate's life in order to know who they really are. Without the media, the people can easily vote based on religion, ethnicity and other forms of sentiment but media is out there to direct the people.
    Thank you.

    1. Actually your comment about this hub topic is precisely correct but in my own mind I don't think so, why because, we all know that the media is also among the electorates (voters) and not that but yes they tend to be the mouth or rather the voice of the people which is actually true.

      So in conclusion, don't you think the media and the electorates are the same but in the terms of speaking for the people and educating the people os the media, don't you think it is also those who are still going to vote for the new leaders? Thanks

  • It is difficult to imagine one person controlling a country on behalf of 1.4 Billion people. Potentially the country would be better of being broken into zones with mini councils or committees to ensure all aspects of society are heard fairly instead of one person being overwhelmed with the responsibility.

  • Hi topical talkers,
    I will be glad to share my opinions everyone,
    In the question ' who has the most power in a democracy system of government' the leader, the voters, or the media? I solemnly agree with the second option which is the voters because,I think without the voters votes you can't select any reader, because democracy is is a system of government of the people by the people and for the people. Te electorates which is the voters are the only people that has the right and authority to chose or elect who becomes their leader is the voice of the people that chose their leader but corruption has made it to be the leader to be people that has the highest power seconding by the media. The voters also determine who becomes their ruler,that means, if they don't chose you, you cannot become their leader. Generally, it is the voters that chose who becomes their leaders therefore the people (electorates) are the set of people who has the most power.

    So in conclusion, who has the power is the people. Thanks. 😁

  • Hi,
    I feel that the voters have the ultimate power in democracy, They are literally the backbone of democracy, The reason this system of government was created was for the people, in order to help them feel heard, understood and equal, Though power may not lie in their hands individually but their voices put together is more than powerful and can do what the government cannot do. As Abraham Lincoln eloquently stated in his Gettysburg Address, democracy is “government of the people, by the people, for the people.” Their impact is beyond the control of anyone. Their collective voices has the ability to mold and shape the composition of the government to what they want it to be. I do not want to say much but through all I have said , it is visible that whether they are stated as the people, voters or electorates they have the supreme power, especially in this system of government.
    Thank you!

    1. Rightly said giving_snail.
      In democracy, the voters possess the ultimate power as they serve as the very foundation of this system. Democracies were established to serve the people, providing them with a platform to express their opinions, be understood, and achieve equality. While individuals may not hold power on their own, their collective voices are incredibly potent and hold the ability to accomplish what the government alone cannot. Abraham Lincoln eloquently captured this sentiment in his Gettysburg Address, portraying democracy as "government of the people, by the people, for the people." The impact of the voters transcends any individual or entity's control. When united, their voices have the influence to shape and reshape the government according to their desires. In essence, whether referred to as the people, voters, or electorates, they wield the ultimate authority, particularly within this governmental framework.

      Thank you.

  • I see that the power lies with the voters because they are the ones who elect those they believe are capable of helping them. In this way, they participate in the policies of the state. The media should also have a role in this, but not as much as the power and role of the people who elect themselves, because in the case of elections to choose the government, the choice should be in the interest of the people who will be governed, as the government will work for the benefit of those who participated in the elections.

  • I believe that the voters should have all the power in an election. I believe this because they have all of the power handed to them when they are the ones to choose who they vote for and if they get elected or not.The leader won't be able to even be chosen without the vote of the citizens.

  • Personally, I say the leader has the most power. The United States government is based on an idea of a democracy where people have power, but citizens do not actually vote on every issue. Many presidential primary voters are vulnerable to manipulation by celebrities, media figures and activists.

  • The voters have the most power.
    The voters have a lot of power because they can change whose in the office (such as, Governor or President or Mayor).
    For example, how would the media have any power? All they are doing is posting posts on the Internet so there isn't anything being done. Plus, the person who created the video can always turn of comments so again, there isn't anything being done.
    While the leader can't do anything neither because by law they can not change anything or run more than 8 years (if they are the President). Now if they are serving during the term, they can do certain things. But they can not do anything that defies things like the Bill of Rights.
    The voters have a lot of power because they can change who

  • I feel like who has the most power is the media because it can give off the wrong look of the leader we were voting for and make them look bad and most would believe it because most people believe what they see online but I feel like our leader and voters should be on a even level like our leader listening to voters ideas and with media we can reach our leader.

    1. Hello, charismatic_pineapple.
      I'm not sure about this because in my opinion, everyone around the world has a pivotal role to play in every matter around us irrespective of position. We may consider the fact that the media has a better chance of influencing a wider audience in a democratic system but I feel it is the choice of that particular individual because we are priviledged to be in a democratic system in which we are given an oppurtunity to choose the leaders of our country. A quote in relation to this matter stated by Larry Ragland Junior says: "Never let the opinions of others influence your life. Your thoughts matter more than those who seek to control them.
      In conclusion, I urge everyone of us to take a stand and not let our positive choices not get influenced by others. Stand for what is right and also, government officials should be severely punished if they are ever caught accepting bribe especially in a voting session as we are entitled to have free and fair elections in a democracy.
      THANK YOU.

      1. I disagree because Yes we shouldn't be influenced on what other people think but what do voters mostly see MEDIA so based on that they aren't doing what other people think they do it based on what they see if the media is showing something constantly thats what the voter will see and think that way so I do think the media has the most power because its what most people see.
        THANK YOU!!!

  • I Believe that the voters have the most power in an democratic election this is because the voters get t0 choose who represent the country and the people, so the voters are the ones who have the most power depending on majority of an candidate.

    1. Well said.
      In a democratic election, voters hold the greatest influence as they have the authority to select representatives for the country and its people. Therefore, the voters wield considerable power based on the majority support for a candidate.

    2. Hello👋reliable_imagination,
      I agree with you because voters have all the right to vote and if no one votes for you that means that you are not going to be elected President or a leader but if you get the highest vote that means that you will become the new President or leader.
      But in another sense, the voters become powerless if the elections are rigged. They can vote for who they want but the person will not win the election.
      THANK YOU VERY MUCH 👏

    3. Thanks for that amazing comment of yours, but I will like to say that the people that has the most power in democracy is the media, this is because through the media the citizens can be influenced and they will have to change their minds towards a particular candidate.
      The media serves as a means by which we get to know what is actually going on in the society, they are entrusted with the broadcasting of latest happenings. They also play a major role in helping the electorate have clearer information and view of whom they are to vote for, by letting the citizens know of the the candidates profile and achievement's, and also whether he or she have held any public office.
      So I vehemently believe that the media has the most power in democracy and most at times, they are been seen as the voice of the people.
      THANK YOU……

  • I feel that the person that has more power in a democratic system is the citizens, the prime minister of 1908-1955 Winston Churchill said, “Democracy is the worst form of government except for all the others that have been tried. " so did john Roosevelt, but he saw democracy as more of an arsenal ,The people are the ones who have more control, leaders are just representatives so that the wishes of the people can be carried out if truly the leaders were the main dominators, then why would the people pick them to rule over their lives and micromanage them when in a democratic system the voices of the people most be heard. It can no longer be called democracy rather this is referred to as autocracy where the military are in power and whoever is the leader is in total control.

  • Hi everyone
    Okay, We all know that democracy is a government of the people for the people and by the people. So people who have the power is we the citizens, we decide on who to vote, common no can force us to vote for who we do not want, life is sweet you go for your heart desires no stress.
    We the voters have the power to cast the vote having our eligible contestant in mind. The constituted authorities who have the power to govern people do these because of the casted elections.
    We as the representative democracy have the following objectives when voting
    - Respect for the minority groups amongst us.
    - the supremacy of the constitution
    - the existence of the fundamental human rights and principles relating the universal declaration of human rights (udhr).
    As people who have the power we must make sure that the rule of law is followed in accordance by the constituted authorities.

    As the people with the power to choose eligible and suitable leaders, the leaders must be elected following the due processes
    - Design of manifesto
    - Campaign
    - Primary election
    - Then the selection of credible candidates.

  • The voters have the most power in a democracy and this is because citizens have the supreme right and they are the leaders. People vote to elect their representative, and their votes can change the entire situation and economy of any country. Their votes can make a political leader Prime Minister, and if the person does not work according to people's wishes, he may not be get elected in the next elections.
    But, it is observed that a few times, voters are given importance before elections, there problems and desires are heard by political parties/leaders, and after election, situation becomes upside down, as the voters wishes and leaders promises are not given any significance and they are forgotten.
    Also, now leaders are well-aware that if they don't understand people and their problems, they won't get elected the next time and they won't receive respect from the nation.
    Therefore, citizens or voters still have the most power and they should only have this power.

  • Yeah,
    Hi estimed topical talkers.
    I personally think that we are the people with the power in the sense that we vote for them through the periodic and primary election.
    Democracy as a government of the people by people and for the people, so electing the constituted authorities we have to make sure that they are eligible citizens who respect, obey and abide to the rule of law, the constitution and also the bye laws.
    Without we as citizens and also the voting system anybody can wake up any morning and get the honor of GCFOR and president of the country.
    Thanks

  • Yeah,
    I think the civil societies are people with the power,
    The civil societies are private non profit organization formed to promote collectively shared values, interest, and objectives that are capable of enhancing the general welfare and development of a democratic state. There are group of people of who come together for a common course and to also provide an alternative to pressure groups in society.
    Civil societies are also a body of people or person's joined together for the purpose of influencing government policies or legislation that are not in the interest of the people.
    It is a voluntary organizations and also they pursue their values through common interests.
    Civil society is the aggregate of non governmental organizations and institutions that manifest interest and will of citizens. Civil society include the family and the private sphere, refered to as the third sector of society.
    The civil society helps in the s,with running of the government.

  • In my opinion I think the people who have the most value would be a tie in fact, being between the voters and the media. The voters are the people who even give the leaders the power and authority so if they mess up the voters can easily throw a coup d'etat against parliament and bring a new leader and for the side of the media the media can easily change the opinion of people and how they see leaders and decide who to vote for or to change their mind. 14% of people are changing their mind due to the media, now even IF this number seems small 65% of people vote, that means that due to the media someone could lose 14% of a nations votes and if the votes are shared evenly then it becomes a huge gain or loss.

    From my view it's a great thing that we the people are the ones who are truly in power because if the LEADER is in power and they are CORRUPT, then they can continue the corruption and the WHOLE COUNTRY will stay suffering because of it but since WE THE PEOPLE have the power we can stop and fight against this just like some countries did not too long ago which are Niger, Sudan and Guinea if they the people didnt have the power to do something like this they would still be suffering.

    Let's keep the people in power and free ourselves from corruption.

  • Though I believe that the voters have the main power in a democracy, but the role of leaders and media are in no less than the voters. Voters are the main basis of democracy. They protect the democracy by giving vote to the leaders according to their own choice. But this right of the voters will not be accomplished without the help of the leaders and the media. If the leader doesn't create the proper atmosphere for the voters to give vote democratically then they will not be able to protect democracy. On the other hand, in their way of creating a democratic atmosphere, the media contributed much. Media, by publishing news, encourage people to protect their rights and to maintain democracy. Again, if anything happens to destroy the democracy, media protest again it and protect the democracy of the general people. In the history of Bangladesh, we have seen that whenever the ruler community tried to snatch and destroy our freedom and democracy, the people along with the great leaders protested again it and established the democratic rights of the people of Bangladesh. The voters alone cannot maintain and protect the democracy. Leaders, media and all the people of the country need to come forward to protect the democracy because democracy gives the power in the hand of all people, be in ordinary or influential people. In this case, media played the crucial role by letting the ordinary and common people know about the news of democracy, encouraged them to fight for their rights and power given by the state. Media is like the Gurdian or protector of the democracy.

  • In my opinion i think that the the voters have the most power because they are the main reasons why elections and election campaign take place it is for their help to improve their way of living the reason why i do not think it is the media even some of them are voters this is because their only job is just to spread news about the election and their candidate they play a vital role in spreading news about elections and anything regarding it and well the leaders they also play a vital but their main part is to campaign and hopefully get elected
    and i would bring some why it is for voters because since it is democracy democracy is government of the people and for the people by the people the people are the voters
    Thank You😁😃😄

  • I believe that voters are the most democratic people, as democracy provides them with the choice of their leaders as well
    Voting is an important and fundamental means through which individuals can influence government decisions. Voting is when an individual chooses one of the candidates to represent him in elected bodies. We should not forget that leaders are also voters in other matters. Practicing democracy achieves justice and helps people accept the decisions of their leaders

  • Imagine that a woman is putting on makeup. She uses unconventional makeup that nobody else uses. This woman is also a brand face, so the company that hires the model needs to make her use neutral makeup. The woman eventually has no choice but to accept the deal because she has a binding contract.
    -the woman is the voter, the person who should choose. She is the person who should have the highest amount of voting power.
    -the makeup is the media, always rubbing their noses in what people do. Every single person in the media has a different perspective, which explains the different makeup types, signifying different ideals.
    -the people in charge of the company are the politicians. They always try to enforce their laws and views on people. But the media has different opinions, so now most people who vote simply go with the most straightforward option.

    A real-world example of dividing politics is the American Civil War. The Union and the Confederacy were fighting because both sides had different beliefs regarding slavery. People then got involved; at that time, the US was still expanding. New States chose who they wanted to be a part of. If one side had more States than the other, then the opposing side would get angry. After years of trying to work things out, an all-out civil war happened.

    So, I believe that it depends on how effective the governing systems of power are. If they're powerful, then voters will have the greatest power. If they're weak, then politicians will have the greatest power. If the systems are somewhere in the middle, then the media will have the most power.

  • Hello,
    After considering this question, I believe that the people that have the most power in democracy are the voters. This is because the voters are the people who will lead and control their community and so voters pick who they believe is best for the job. But i also believe that the leader should hold some power to and extent because they should be able to lead but also correct people if they are doing things they should and so that's there the leader having power can help because they can decide on what should happen to better situations.

  • I think that the voters have the most power in democracy because, the voters have the power to elect the president or the governor of that country. If there are no voters there will be no president/Governor of that country.
    That is why I am in favour of the voters in power.
    THANK YOU.

  • In democracy the ones that should have the power are the voters. Democracy is a way to ensure that the majority of people have the power to choose who is going to lead them. This is done in a democratic way which is voting to elect the best representative.
    However nowadays media have the power as it is the most influential medium. We can see it how social media function by youtubers, influencers and so on. So this could happen with elections by presenting news they want in order to influence perceptions.

  • I feel like the president should have the power. I say that because the president has access for everything and most likely can put laws to stop anything bad that is going on in the world. I also say that because the government is the most powerful group of people and they're the people that try to keep the world safe and they try to make the world a better place.

  • In my opinion the media has the most power in a democracy. I believe this because, depending on a democracy's media levels will depend on if the voters actually vote.

  • Nowadays it is a fact that the rules of democracy have been ignored and overlooked by country leaders in order to be enabled to do whatever they want without the dissatisfaction of the world.
    Furthermore we can find out that in many countries where oligarchy is , the leader is the one who has the power to function as he wishes.
    But thus is nit right.
    It should be pointed out that from ancient years , in Greece, where democracy was first applied, people had the most if not complete the power.
    From my point of view, this is the correct way, and the appliance of democracy should be reconsidered and use correctly.

  • Hello topical talkers I will be sharing my view of the person that has the most power on democracy I think the voters are the people with the most power in democracy because voters choose the people they are to vote for.
    If a voter don't vote for you, you can't become a leader be abuse u\is the citizens that have the right to decide to vote for you or not. In this case I think Abraham Lincoln described democracy as the government of the people for the people and by the people. Because it is the people that usually who to vote for and why to vote for them.
    THANK YOU.........

  • Hi everyone!!
    I think that the person who was the most power in a democracy is the voter because the voter is the one who will vote for the candidate to become a leader. A voter's vote is his or her power so if the voter does not vote then the candidate will not become a leader. Also, during the leader's tenure, if he or she does not serve the economy properly, citizens and voters have the right to protest and can join forces with military services to even arrange a coup d'état which will overthrow the leader. A voter has power to make someone a leader and to also deny that person as a leader.
    Thank you!!!

  • Hello, I think voters possess the most power. In a democracy, voters possess the ultimate authority as they choose representatives to make decisions on their behalf. By participating in free and fair elections, voters are able to ensure that leaders are held responsible and have the ability to shape the course of government policies.

  • Although the leader take the decisions of the country, the voters, the simple people, have the most power on democracy.
    Simple people choose the leaders and the politicians and is their right to reevaluate the position of the leader if things are not going well in their country.
    However these days , there seems to be a turn on the power system as media seem to have a big influence to the public.
    But the media should represent simple people and not leaders as they should not forget that media is a system consisted of simple people too.

  • I believe that voters should have the most power in democracy because without the voters leaders cannot be elected so that leaves leaders without any power as they depend on their citizens.
    I believe however that nowadays voters should have more power in such a democratic society and the leaders should be more close to society and the real problems that exist.
    Additionally media should play a significant role on showing these problems of the society so as to force leaders to see what is really happening on simple life.

  • In our society we vote to elect the leaders.
    But who actually has the power? I mean the leaders can change the laws , can change everything really but I think that people, the voters, have more power in the end.
    As a country we can share our ideas via votes. We can vote for a good president tha will improve our country and media can help us by informing their political stances, their views on life and generally why not their life as their life represent a system of beliefs and values.

  • Democracy is a word that belongs to people and enables then to express their opinions freely and with no fear.
    Democracy is not a word that belongs to only one person that has the right to impose laws without taking into consideration their citizens stances.
    Unfortunately in some countries this can be seen. Even countries in war need to express how they feel about it and not put them in such dangerous situations.
    So for me freedom should be mainly on people, on media and lastly on a leader.
    The leader is a representative of society
    and should not be a person in power.

  • The leaders nowadays along with the media have the most power in democracy.
    However, the voters should have the same power as the leaders. That's because everyone in a democracy has the right to have the freedom of the speech.
    Moreover, democracy means equality between all the people in the world, so Noone should work under control of another person.
    I have to admit though that a good leaders can be really influential and voters would feel relieved that a leader can use his power appropriately.

  • I believe that the voters have have the power because they decide who is going to be elected.
    Furthermore, the politicians need to persuade the voters that they are the appropriate ones to be elected . So they need to make citizens believe that they have to vote themselves as they are the ones that can lead to a country to a better future.
    At this point we can state that media may also use their power to control the public so they need to be neutral and unbiased.

  • Who has the power? Voters. Voters will always hold the power in a democracy as they can make or break any status quo if the electoral turnout is large enough. We saw this best when in 2020, Joe Biden won against Donald Trump by targetting the areas that Trump took from Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election.

  • I think the power is under the voters . Because due to that voter only leaders are selected and due to that voter someone loses . The voter gives the vote for which the leader do everything to take it . Because they will take one and that one will make up thousands . Also the leaders know that if the interest of the people is not taken with care then the voters will protest and the leader will be in danger . It keeps a check on the government and there activities. If the present leader is not working for them then in the next elections they can chose under leader . And due to this power the leader works for the people in order to protect there post .

    Along with voters I think role of media is also very important. Media gives shape to the news . Everyone believes on it , and that’s why it plays a crucial role . If media shows the wrong or biased thing too, then the people will agree to it . This shows how powerful media is . Also the media shows the activities of government, and the government can’t stop them because it is the only way in which people can see what the government is doing for them .

  • In my opinion, voters has the most power in democracy rather than leader or media. If the voters are educated and well aware about each and everything they take don't believe on media or any leader. A big exemple is from my country our youth cast the votes to Imran Khan (previous PM Pakistan) even they don't believe on media even on any leader. So voters have a power to do cast a vote by their choices nobody can force them

  • These days, media has the most influential power upon the public opinion. That is more apparent in social media where many young people can promote whatever they want. This can happen in elections. A YouTube can go viral affecting the reputation wrongly or rightly of a politician.
    Media for this reason can and should always reveal the truth to citizens because it is the one which can collect information through investigation and report it.

  • I feel both the voters and the media should have the most amount of power. I say this because, the media is like the fastest way for news to spread. For example I could just post some dirt on a president on my blog, then my classmate could see it then that classmate would show someone else. It is all just a chain and a very annoying one at that because, that is the same way that false news spread and that is the worst kind of news to be spread because, it could ruin your whole reputation. Everything could just go down the drain because of one little comment. Then voters have a lot of power to because, they are ones who determine the leader. They are like the most important people there. If there are no voters how would we have a leader or will we just pick someone out of the random? no it does not work out like that.
    Thank you all and have a lovely day.

    1. Good points reflective_cymbals. However, do you think all media should be totally trusted?

      1. I do not think so. Not all media can be trusted because we do not know what story they could come up with tomorrow. It could be good and it could be bad who knows? The media is a very wide platform that a lot can happen in it, let me just say that it is a whole new world. The media could also say a lot of things and the worst part is that some of it is cannot be erased never, but that is why we hope that nothing bad will ever comes out only the good.

      2. Hello Ursula,
        No, not all media should be trusted. I say this because many of the media reporters put fake news and fake reports, and mostly everything is fake. I want to find a way to see if the news is real or fake. The media could do and say lots of things but are we sure that they are saying the truth? I hope that time comes faster so that reporters can finally say the truth.

  • Hello, Topical talkers. I am engaging_twilight. I am here to state and share my opinion on who should have the power in a democracy. I believe voters should have power in the democracy because they should vote for the best person to represent them better. If it were a leader they would probably not be able to do the best for the country. I think this because if they weren't chosen for their citizens. The leader would not be the best. After all, the citizens would not vote for the leader. So that is why I think that the power has to go to the voters.

    1. Would you still think this if the majority of voters made a decision you regarded as the wrong one? Do you think all voters should still hold the power if they can be misinformed and manipulated?

      1. Hello Steff
        Now that you asked these questions you changed my mind. To be honest I wouldn't think the same if the majority of voters made the wrong decision. I think that there are people who make the wrong decision because probably that leader is telling them that they will give them money, food, and rights. But I want them to think they are sure that they will give y'all all of that. So now that I'm answering your question you changed my full thinking. Now I think that voters shouldn't hold the power if they are being manipulated. Because all that the leader says is not true.

  • The media and the voters have the most power. In order for the voters to stay informed the media must paint an image about a candidate's goals and wishes. The media could turn and as well as the voters.

  • I think that the citizens have the power to choose their leaders .but if the people end up choosing a bad leader or the leader elected doesn't fulfill all promises made the leader should be taken out of power.

  • It has always been my opinion that a democracy is the most fair and just way of allocating power in a government. The people have their own voices so they should be able to speak and represent their own opinions. However people in North Korea, Oman, Qatar, and The Republic Of The Congo, do not have the luxury of representing themselves because they are in a dictatorship. Therefore we should fully take advantage of our power.

  • I believe that in a democratic society people should have the power.
    However we see that leaders exploit their role and some of them are blamed for corruption because they want to gain a lot of money or reputation.
    At this point the media have the power to reveal the truth and the people take their power back again.
    Because when you want money you don't represent the citizens but only yourself.
    People must be respected so their choices and leaders should respect the power of people.

  • I do think that the choice of the people are actually the true leaders because the people know what they want and the kind of leader that can provide it , so if someone forcefully pushes him self to the throne, he or she is doing him or her self no good and to the country as well!

  • Hi Topical talkers I am motivated explanation and I would like to share my opinion on why the voters are the people that have the power to decide the leader the want with the following points of mine:
    In my own view the person a that has the power is the voters which is the people Abraham Lincoln describes democracy as the government of the people for the people and by the people.
    I will best say or express my view on why my answer is the voters because they are the people that usually vote for their choice of leader they need or want to vote in to lead them.
    This don't always happen because some people maybe like youths can suffer from peer influence from their classmates or friends.It also do not always happen because INEC officials can always rig elections. It may also not happen because the leaders would always threaten the people with one thing or the other.
    In conclusion I will say that it is the people who have the power to choose the leader they want to be in power.
    THANKS OR THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Good day everyone,
    I believe the that all of the 3 that is the leader, voters and the media play a crucial role in democracy. All the have the power because the leader holds power in terms of decision-making, policy implementation, and setting the national agenda.
    However, he/she comes in power once he is elected and that is done by the voters. The voters have the power to choose their leaders through free and fair elections. Therefore collectively, voters also have the power in democracy
    But once again, they are influenced on a large scale by the media. Therefore, the media also has a lot of power in democracy especially in shaping opinions.

    And as for who should be in power, as i mentioned all 3 play a crucial role and for a healthy government all must have the necessary power and must cooperate with each other. As in Richard's interview, he discusses how the media can influence public opinion and hold leaders accountable. He also emphasizes how the voters play a role in shaping the direction of the country. Overall, I believe a democracy functions best when power is shared among these three that is media, voters and the leader with each one playing its part for the country.
    Thank You

  • To be honest, the voters definitely have more power than the leader that would get elected. The voters are able to vote who they want to vote for, since it is the voter's decision. Plus, there are a TON more voters than candidates. The entire country population can vote, and this voting system is democracy. Since the majority of the population in that country will be voting, it will be pretty crazy to calculate votes. But if most of the voters don't vote a candidate, of course that candidate won't be elected.

  • I think it's the leader cuz it's the leader who is the one that if he does the good thing, many people will vote for him or her but if the leader doesn't do anything good, then nobody will vote for him/her which means total failure for the leader, so if the leader does everything properly the media and the people voting will all vote for that person and would probably be elected as president.

  • Hello
    I think that the voters have the most power in democracy because it is up to the citizens of the country to decide what is best. If the leaders in the democracy have no voters then they might make the wrong decision without others and their input. The leaders should listen to the ideas of their people because they could make a positive change to the country and create a large community to support each other.

  • In a democratic system of government, determining the distribution of power among the leader, the voters, and the media is intricate and complex. Well, we have to start somewhere, the media, functioning as a platform of information, holds substantial effects by disseminating news, shaping public opinion, and holding leaders responsible. Candidates may manipulate media platforms to sway voters, while the media can investigate and expose any malpractices, ensuring transparency/impartiality in electoral processes is vital. However, voters supremely utilize the paramount power in democracy through their constituted right to choose representatives/leaders and influence policy direction. Honestly, power should be with the electorate, as they are the foundational pillar of democratic governance. Well, the media plays a significant role in facilitating informed decision-making, it should also act as a watchdog rather than a wielder of power to people. Thus, the stabilty and distribution of power in democracy ideally rests with the people, with the media as a vital facilitator of transparency and accountability.

  • In a democracy, citizens have the right to select their representatives, simultaneously they must also bear responsibility for the outcomes of their choices. If elected leaders fail to keep their promises or prove incompetent, rules and policies should have been established for their removal from power. The jurisdiction of power lies predominantly with the media and the electorate. The media has an essential role in reforming public perception by conveying information about candidates' objectives and actions. However, its effects are not trustworthy, as biased reporting or misinformation can manipulate voters. The electorate, when informed and discerning, holds the greatest manipulative action in democratic processes. Yet, this power hooks on voters' ability to resist manipulation and make informed decisions independent of media =information's or the brainwashing of prospective leaders. Trust in the media is not absolute, as its information's can fluctuate unpredictably, rendering it a complex and sometimes unreliable entity.

  • I believe that the media has the power as things spread throughout social media fast as the media influences a lot things. For instance, since the elections have been going on the topic of elections have been spiraling on social media platforms. This caused the topic to get lots of attention as people started to debate over it online.

  • Well in my opinion I think the media has power in democracy. Though the selection of a leader depends on the voter's, media plays a crucial role. A voter cannot vote anyone until he doesn't has the knowledge about the person who wants to be a leader. Through media the voter's get to know whom to choose as a leader for the betterment of a country. The media has the power to tell the people the truth of a leader which no one else can do. Even a leader has to take help of media to convince people to vote him. Hence, I think media has the most powerful in democracy.

    Thank you.

  • I believe that the voters have the most power in a democracy. Voters have the choice to choose a leader to run the country. The media is most likely the voters. The democracy is based off the people so they are the ones making choices.

    1. I agree with you. I also believe that voters have the most power in a democracy because they are the base of the political system. By giving citizens the power to elect their representatives, democracy ensures that the government reflects the will of the people. This empowers individuals to actively participate in shaping their society and choosing their leader. It safeguards individual rights and freedoms by allowing citizens to elect representatives who prioritize and protect these fundamental liberties. Even, media is also the voters. They also vote for one candidate. In democracy, if the voters don’t like the leader, they can express it through election. By placing voters at the center of decision-making, democracy fosters diversity.
      If voters vote for a candidate then someone can become a leader of a country.

  • I think that the media has the most power in a democracy, because it influences people's points of view. In my opinion, the leader could say something, but there's no guarantee that the people will believe it. However, if the exact same thing is said in most of the newspapers, people are much more likely to believe it. I think that even if they don't believe it at first, by constantly seeing it everywhere, they will subconsciously start to accept it, until they truly believe it. In my opinion, a good example for this would be advertisements. Although you may get annoyed by them, when you walk into a store and you see certain advertised products, you are more likely to choose them. They used to appear of higher quality to me. In addition to that, I used to believe that they were incredibly popular, since they were wherever I looked. It used to make me want to have them, just so I don't feel left out.
    From my point of view, the media has an enormous amount of power, since it can influence people to do things that are "trending" or "cool" at the moment. It may not seem like a big deal, but if it can make teenagers dance, or wear a lot of make up, then I believe that it can also influence people to vote. I think that it can create or destroy one's reputation, leading people to favor one candidate over another.

  • Hello 👋
    I think that the most people who have the power in a democracy is voters because at all they have the choice for the new leader they're like a control for a device without them no one knows what they will do , also leaders have the power but when they are chosen by the voters like in my country Egypt sometimes we find some conflict between voters to see who should be the leader some people say he is the worst some people say he is the best so we know that it's always around what the voters want.
    Also media can have a great power in influencing on the voters and they say what they think with an evidence but we need to be careful with it because sometimes they are lying

  • I think that the news could so easily spread rumors about something that may be happening. Although it might be false, I think that there is still a good chance that millions of people will talk about it, regardless if they have any proof or not. For example: If a joke is posted about a leader, it will probably be remembered for years. In school, I had a lot of people warn me about social media, because once something was posted, it will remain there forever. Even if you erase it later, some people will still have seen it. In my opinion, it is very likely that somebody even took a screenshot of it, so it can be reposted later. It is quite concerning for me, since somehow, a lie is easier to believe than the truth. From my experience, the truth can often seem uninteresting, while a lie can seem fascinating. From my point of view, the current media is how the church used to be in the past. Because it was more common for civilians to go to church, rather than to the palace, the priest could actually turn the whole population against the monarch. I believe that the media can also turn a whole population against a brand, a company, an app or even just one single person. I think that the media is a powerful weapon which should be handled carefully.