How far would you go for Democracy?

Attempting to introduce higher interconnectedness and interdependence amongst committees, BRIMUN 2009 will be immersed in debates all related to one theme: Democracy. Different committees will deal with different aspects of the topic ranging from development issues, to security crises.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, democracy has become the world's most common political decision-making form. This system differs from others in one fundamental way: it provides people with the power and freedom to decide for themselves who will lead and represent them.

Democracy is not without its problems, and it is no guarantee for peace. Democracies routinely go to war with other states. The rise of democratic governance has, however, shown the world that by providing populations with the authority to shape their own political system, hijacking power is much more difficult.

What is democracy to you: the answer to many of the world's most pressing challenges, or an ineffective system that prevents any real change? Do democratic elections ensure that capable people are given authority, or do they simply transform the ignorance of many into the uninformed power of the few? Is spreading democracy a responsibility of free nations, or a form of contemporary cultural imperialism?

Got democracy? How far would you go for it?