Democracy, Democratic Education and Administration

Bruce H. Kramer

In the United States education has a historical commitment to democracy, democratic education, and as of late, democratic administration. Like all large concepts, a wide interpretive range of the exact meaning of democracy exists. This inexactness of meaning manifests itself in teaching about American democracy, democratic values, and exercising democratic leadership. In addition, the meaning of each of these terms may be better understood by exploring their historical context particularly in terms of form and function. Democracy, from the Greek demos , meaning “common people,” and kratos , meaning “strength and power,” literally means government of the people. Generally, it is accepted that there are two forms of democracy—direct, in which the people directly rule on the issues before them, and representative, in which the people elect others to do state craft for them. Beyond that, defining democracy becomes more problematic, particularly in looking at the outer appearances of different ...

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