demokraattisuutta

Demokraattisuus is a Finnish term that translates roughly to "democraticness" or the quality of being democratic. It refers to the characteristics, principles, and practices that define a democratic system of governance, including participation, equality, rule of law, and respect for individual rights. The concept is central to discussions of democratic theory within Finland and in broader comparative political science.

In Finnish political discourse, demokraattisuus is often used to assess how closely institutions and political practices align with democratic norms. Questions of demokraattisuus arise in debates about electoral reform, media freedom, judicial independence, and the protection of minority interests. The term is also invoked in evaluating reforms to the Constitution, the balance of powers between branches of government, and the structure of local self‑government.

Historically, the rise of demokraattisuus in Finland began in the early 20th century with the establishment of universal suffrage and parliamentary democracy. The 1930 Constitution incorporated many safeguards that are later evaluated for their demokraattinen quality, such as the protection of individual freedoms and the prohibition of excessive state power. Since the post‑Cold War era, Finnish scholars have examined how global trends—digitalization, populism, and economic globalization—affect demokraattisuus by challenging traditional safeguarding mechanisms.

Comparative studies link demokraattisuus to indices of political freedom and participatory governance worldwide. Indicators such as voter turnout, freedom of expression, and judicial independence are used to measure how well a country exhibits demokraattinen characteristics. In this sense, demokraattisuus serves both as an abstract normative ideal and as a concrete analytical framework for assessing democratic health in Finland and elsewhere.