Difference Between Democracy and Mobocracy

Table of Contents

Main Difference

The governing system of a country can be described by either democracy or theocracy or mobocracy or ochlocracy. All these are different form of governance. So, when it comes to concepts and implementation these two terms, democracy and mobocracy must be understood differently.

What is Democracy?

Democracy is a system of government in which public is considered as the main power of the state as: They have the right to choose and replace the government via free and fair elections; There active participation in politics and civic life is ensured; Basic human rights are protected; There is an equal law for all the citizens of the state. There are further two kinds of democracy, direct democracy and representative democracy or democratic republic. In direct democracy, eligible citizens take part in political decision making and in representative democracy or democratic republic, political power is exercised by the elected representative of the public.

What is Mobocracy?

Mobocracy or ochlocracy means the rule of government by mass of people. In this kind of government system, a powerful mob or mass of people take control of government in his hand. In past, countries that were conquered by the warriors shows the ruling of mob. For example, from Alexander The Great to Genghis Khan, all represented the government of the mob. Latest example of mobocracy is government of ISIS in Iraq. In this system a specific group of people decides all the political matters and public have no direct or indirect right in the political system of the country as they are bound to do what has been decided for them by the mob.

Key Differences

In democracy, citizens of the country or mostly remained involved indirectly in the political system through their elected representatives while in mobocracy there is no representation of public in the political system.

In democracy, government is established and replaced by the opinions of the citizens, which they give through free and fair election. While in mobocracy, a specific powerful group of people controls the whole state regardless of the demands of the public.

Basic human rights are ensured in the democracy as public can record their protest against any legislation while there is no concept of human rights in mobocracy and public is bound to live on the parameters that have been decided by the mob.

There are equal rights for all citizens of the country in democracy while there are no equal rights for all in mobocracy as it is an autocratic form of government.

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