Democracy is a system of government in which power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or through freely elected representatives. The term is derived from the Greek ‘demokratia,’ which was coined in the 5th century BCE to denote the political systems of some Greek city-states, notably Athens.
Democracy[nb 1] is a form of government in which political power is vested in the people or the population of a state. [2][3][4] Under a minimalist definition of democracy, rulers are elected through competitive elections while more expansive or maximalist definitions link democracy to guarantees of civil liberties and human rights in addition to competitive elections. [5][6][4] In a direct ...
Discover what democracy and governance are in this comprehensive guide. We explore core principles, types of governance, and the impact on society.
A democracy is a form of government that empowers the people to exercise political control, limits the power of the head of state, provides for the separation of powers between governmental entities, and ensures the protection of natural rights and civil liberties. In practice, democracy takes many different forms. Along with the two most common types of democracies—direct and representative ...
Democracy is based on popular representation and participation, individual rights and liberties and the rule of law. Discover our brochure.
Danielle Allen is James Bryant Conant University Professor at Harvard University and Director of the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation at Harvard Kennedy School's Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. She is a political theorist who has published broadly in democratic theory, political sociology, and the history of political ...