Political theory can be a useful tool in any analysis of society and its functions. The fundamentals of any type of government and constitution shape the way society interacts. Democracy, for instance, is founded on the right to political equality and the right to public participation. This has led a country such as Canada to be a society which holds an incredible amount of diversity in culture and beliefs. Canada is an example of a successful democracy, but like any democracy it is not perfect.
Media ownership has become one of the main issues in society today. Ownership is now becoming more centralized, and many argue that it is a threat to the diversity of content and information in media with large companies broadcasting in accordance to their own agendas. Others, like Lesley Shade in her book, Mediascapes: New Patterns in Canadian Communication, hold that Canadian citizens are more involved in media making than we give ourselves credit for.

This discussion will begin an analysis of the democratic theory with a focus on Canadian society, which will be followed by a brief overview of the main issue, then will end with Lesley Shade’s views on the ways that citizens influence and shape media themselves.

For the purpose of establishing a framework of understanding about how society works in respect to democracy, an overview of what government truly represents is necessary. In chapter four of his book, “On Democracy”, Robert Dahl leads the reader through a series of given assumptions on the nature of the makings of society to exemplify that governance is a normal element of human nature. He claims on page 35 that all of us have goals that we cannot attain by ourselves. Yet we might attain some of these by cooperating with others who share similar aims. In order to achieve certain common ends, he asks us to suppose that you and several hundred other persons agree to form an association. It is after this agreement that the policy of the government is formed.