Democracy is a unique type of government, and the purpose of this essay is to illustrate the strengths and weaknesses provided by a democratic government. I will detail that many components of this type of company have both strengths and weaknesses as each component has beneficial aspects and inevitable pitfalls. A democracy is a government of the people, in which power is vested in the people themselves. The people then elect representatives who exercise their power in a free electoral system. The Declaration of Independence, which states that all men are created equal, was written on the premise of a democracy. According to John Locke, author of The Social Contract, before recognizing that an individual is part of a specific form of government, such as a democracy, one must understand that being an individual in society means personally agreeing to take part in a social contract, which is basically an outline of the rules, standards and conduct of that society. But what makes this democracy is that people have conflicting opinions and are free to share them. In reality, citizens may or may not have agreed to take part in the social contract, yet they are still bound by the rules of democracy. Once it is established that there is a desire for a society to exist, the debate can begin over what type of government (if any). The central concept of democracy is actually "fairness", rather than "equality". Equity is a term that emphasizes the fact that, while it is true that everyone has equal opportunities, the conditions under which those opportunities are pursued are different for each individual. Equality is a term that implies that everyone has the exact same opportunities, pre-existing determinants... middle of the paper... the workings of nature. However, the advantage of a democratic society is that it offers all people the opportunity to become stronger and gain better education, even if this is not immediately relevant to modern society. Democracy is a very functional system of government: all-encompassing strengths and weaknesses. The benefits and pitfalls that go hand in hand with a democratic society require a fluid and amendable constitution. However, the strengths outweigh the weaknesses, as evidenced by the overall fair conditions among citizens and the equal opportunities available to all. Works Cited Benjamin Franklin, “Benjamin Franklin - The Autobiography and Other Writings”, (Penguin Books) 1986, 131de Tocqueville, 179Alexis de Tocqueville, “Democracy in America”, (Signet Classics) 2001, 144de Tocqueville, 111