Learn that elections must offer a real chance to lose, and every citizen's vote must carry equal weight.
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Hook about elections with predetermined outcomes.
Case studies of China and Mexico.
Holding an election isn't enough to make a country a democracy. Sometimes, the system is designed so citizens don't actually have a real choice.
Let's look at China. Every five years, elections are held for the country's parliament, the National People's Congress (Quanguo Renmin Daibiao Dahui).
Visual comparison of China's and Mexico's electoral flaws.
Elections alone are not enough; they must offer a free and fair choice where those currently in power have a real chance of losing.
Match the country to its specific democratic failing.
Terms
Definitions
Hook on the concept of universal adult franchise.
Examples of voting inequality and the third feature.
Imagine playing a game where your points count for half as much as someone else's. Unfair, right?
Democracy relies on the fundamental principle of political equality. This means every adult citizen should have an equal voice in choosing their leaders, regardless of their background, gender, or ethnicity.
Infographic showing unbalanced voting weight.
In a true democracy, every vote must have equal value. Electoral systems that weigh votes differently, as seen in historical examples from Fiji or Estonia, violate this core democratic principle.