This New Edition, presented in an easily digestable form, familiarizes young Barbadians with the functioning of the democratic system of government - with special reference to the society in which we live. While it is generally accepted that vigilance is the only safeguard for the survival of those interested in keeping the democratic system intact, vigilance, however, requires reasonable knowledge pertaining to the matters over which the vigil is being kept. The book offers a beginning to all who are interested in the retention of our democratic way of life and focuses our attention on both the strengths and weaknesses of the sysytem.