The Political Theory of Democracy and its Contemporary Debates

Skylab Sahu

doi:10.53989/jcp.v5i1.25.121

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Journal of Contemporary Politics

DOI: 10.53989/jcp.v5i1.25.121

Year: 2026, Volume: 5, Issue: 1, Pages: 28-37

Original Article

The Political Theory of Democracy and its Contemporary Debates

Skylab Sahu^1*

¹Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Miranda House University of Delhi, Delhi, India

*Corresponding Author
Email: [email protected]

Received Date:29 December 2025, Accepted Date:12 February 2026, Published Date:31 March 2026

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Democracy occupies a central yet persistently contested position in political theory and political practice. While commonly understood as a system in which political power derives from the people, democracy has been interpreted in diverse and often conflicting ways across historical and theoretical traditions. This article traces the theoretical evolution of democracy from its classical origins in ancient Athens to its modern representative forms, shaped by the scale and complexity of contemporary societies. It examines the normative foundations of democracy—popular sovereignty, political equality, consent, and accountability—and the institutional mechanisms through which these principles are realised, including elections, the rule of law, and the protection of rights and liberties. The article briefly explores key theoretical distinctions between procedural or minimalist conceptions of democracy. Democracy, as a contested concept is perceived diversly by different perspectives. However, despite its strong normative appeal, democracy continues to face enduring challenges such as political apathy, unequal participation, elite domination, and tensions inherent in majority rule. These limitations have generated sustained debates and alternative democratic models, notably participatory and deliberative democracy, aimed at deepening democratic legitimacy. Based on a critical review of the secondary literature, the article offers a nuanced analysis of democratic theory by engaging with competing perspectives and contemporary debates. The article argues that democracy is best understood not as a fixed value or arrangement but as a dynamic and evolving theory, continually reshaped by social struggles, institutional reforms, and normative debates over freedom, equality, and collective self-government.

Keywords: Substantive, Procedural, Equality, Participation, Limited government

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