Liberal Democracy
Liberal democracy is a political system characterized by several core principles:
-Popular sovereignty: Government derives its legitimacy and authority from
an implicit social contract among consenting citizens who elect their leaders
through democratic procedures;
-The rule of law: All citizens should be treated equal under the law, no
person is above the law, and all citizens have a civic responsibility to follow
and uphold the law;
-Limited government: All government power and democratic authority are
restrained by a division of power and systems of checks and balances
provided by a constitution;
-Public-private distinction: There is a "wall of separation" between the
legitimate jurisdiction of the political state (public sphere) and that of the
community, church, family, and/or individual (private sphere) that generally
restrains public authority (other than the protection of basic individual
rights) for the preservation of private autonomy;
-Self-determination: If citizens become convinced that their government does
not represent their interests, they have the right to revise or withdraw consent
from their social contract