Do democracies need universal suffrage?

[buritobr]

If a country has a constitution, independent executive, legislative and judiciary branches, basic individual liberties, but has no universal suffrage, is this country democratic?

We consider that there is universal suffrage when all the adult population can vote. Or even if the prisoners cannot vote, there is still universal suffrage. But if women, ethnic groups, poor or other groups do not have the right to vote, there is no universal suffrage.

If we consider that democracies need universal suffrage, the USA became a democracy in 1965 and Switzerland became a democracy in 1971.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

It depends on the standards you set and the point in time that those standards are formulated.

Today the answer is certainly yes. While in prior point in time a set of limited suffrage, which would be regarded as unacceptable today, would have been regarded as democratic relative to the times.

[darklordoftech]

All 21+ white males being allowed to vote was once considered "universal suffrage", so I would discourage using the term "universal suffrage."

[Goldwater]

If a country has a constitution, independent executive, legislative and judiciary branches, basic individual liberties, but has no universal suffrage, is this country democratic?

We consider that there is universal suffrage when all the adult population can vote. Or even if the prisoners cannot vote, there is still universal suffrage. But if women, ethnic groups, poor or other groups do not have the right to vote, there is no universal suffrage.

If we consider that democracies need universal suffrage, the USA became a democracy in 1965 and Switzerland became a democracy in 1971.

Technically speaking, none of these things require any form of democracy.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

If a country has a constitution, independent executive, legislative and judiciary branches, basic individual liberties, but has no universal suffrage, is this country democratic?

We consider that there is universal suffrage when all the adult population can vote. Or even if the prisoners cannot vote, there is still universal suffrage. But if women, ethnic groups, poor or other groups do not have the right to vote, there is no universal suffrage.

If we consider that democracies need universal suffrage, the USA became a democracy in 1965 and Switzerland became a democracy in 1971.

Technically speaking, none of these things require any form of democracy.

Theoretically the case, but where has such been maintained without the presence of democratic institutions?

[catographer]

"Do democracies need universal suffrage?"
Today, yes.

[Dr. MB]

Any country without universal suffrage is undemocratic.