“Legal constitutional changes by themselves cannot overcome challenges to democracy”

“Legal constitutional changes by themselves cannot overcome challenges to democracy”. Explain.

Legal constitutional changes by themselves cannot overcome challenges to democracy. Democratic reforms are to be carried out mainly by political activists, parties, movements and politically conscious citizens.

  • Any legal change must carefully look its result. Laws that seek a ban on something are rather counter productive.
  • The best laws are those which empower people to carry out democratic reforms. For example; the Right to Information Act 2005, which acts as a watch dog of democracy by controlling corruption.
  • Democratic reforms are to be brought about principally through political practice. Therefore, the main focus of political reforms should be on ways to strengthen democratic practice. The most important concern should be to increase and improve the quality of people.
  • Any proposal for political reform should think not only about what is good solution but also about who will implement it and how. Measures that rely on democratic movements, citizens organisations and the media are likely to succeed.