Iryna Sivakova1
The Effect of Surveillance on Democracy.
I grew up in Belarus, a country that claims to be democratic but in reality is still run
based on communist beliefs, where people do not have freedom of voting or speech. I came to
the United States of America when I was 20, filled with excitement and ready to start my journey
towards the American Dream. The best part about being an American citizen is freedom, being
able to do anything you want and to make a difference in society. Unfortunately, the way the
government surveillance is headed in this country; it does not feel like a free or private country
anymore. The big argument that arises is whether the government surveillance is there to protect
us or to take away our privacy and ability to live in a democratic society.
I believe the issue of government surveillance is very important in current society. In the
United States of America all the surveillance is done by the NSA. The NSA is defined as an
intelligent agency in charge of collecting private information, global monitoring and analysis of
the data for foreign intelligence in order to protect U.S. government communications and
information systems against any foreign attacks. With all the technology available to people, we
do not think twice about using our phone to pay bills or talking on Skype to people from other
countries. The fact that people do everything electronically makes it easier for agencies like the
NSA to track. For example, when you write and mail a letter, it is impossible for the recipient to
know what you wrote without physically receiving and opening it. When it comes to emails: the
minute you clicked the send button, your personal information becomes available to anyone who
has access to the internet. This example proves that there is direct correlation between
surveillance and invading privacy. And the key of the democratic society is to have freedom and
privacy. Before I proceed any further, I would like to define democracy. The definition of
democracy is a system of government in which all the people of a state or polity are involved in
Iryna Sivakova2
making decisions about its affairs, typically by voting to elect representatives to a parliament or
similar assembly. According to American political scientist Larry Diamond it consists of four
key elements: “1. A political system for choosing and replacing the government through free and
fair elections; 2. The active participation of the people, as citizens, in politics and civic life; 3.
Protection of the human rights of all citizens; 4. A rule of law, in which the laws and procedures
apply equally to all citizens”. Based on the definition, democracy is supposed to protect the
human rights of all citizens. The NSA was created for that purpose but I do not believe it protects
anyone by invading their privacy. On the contrary, it exposes everyone and makes it easier for
the government to be in total control. The activity of the NSA also violates the Fourth
Amendment of the Constitution. In the Fourth Amendment it clearly states: The right of the
people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches
