A Democratic System
The team system is intended to help young people to understand the concept of democracy through experiencing it in action.
Democracy in the Scout unit is based on:
• ensuring that the needs and interests of all are taken into account. This implies always striving to reach a consensus. If every decision were to be subject to a majority vote, the needs and interests of the minority would be ignored;
• adherence to a commonly agreed set of rules, based on the Scout law;
• the fact that the Scout unit supports each individual, and each individual has a share of responsibility for ensuring that the Scout unit functions efficiently, and contributes towards improving it for the benefit of all.
• ensuring that the needs and interests of all are taken into account. This implies always striving to reach a consensus. If every decision were to be subject to a majority vote, the needs and interests of the minority would be ignored;
• adherence to a commonly agreed set of rules, based on the Scout law;
• the fact that the Scout unit supports each individual, and each individual has a share of responsibility for ensuring that the Scout unit functions efficiently, and contributes towards improving it for the benefit of all.
Democracy in the Scout unit is thus a truly participatory form of government. It does not involve establishing mini political parties, lobbies, campaigning to win elections for positions of power, or anything else of that nature.