Socialist Governance versus Democratic Governance
Ever since the concept of Socialism was formed in the early 1830‟s, it has been described and
explained by various thinkers, leading to a varied range of interpretations of the term, such
that there is no particular definition of the term. It differs from “person to person, across time
and national boundaries” (Lovell D.W 2002). The concept of socialism means the “collective
ownership and democratic management of the means of production for common good”
(Ghent W.J. 1916). The socialist form of governance, originating during the French
Revolution, aims to bring in the society development of the common people through
economic improvement and industrialization, by rejecting monopolistic practices and
ensuring welfare, economic growth and greater efficiency.
On the other hand when defining the concept of Democracy, Robert Dahl (1989) considered
some key indicators of electoral democracy, such as universal suffrage, elections registering
voter preferences faithfully, and unbiased choice among alternatives, but did not mention if
these indicators ensured good governance (Dahl, 1989).