Democracy: Definition

Democracy can be defined as a type of government in which power lies with the people. The people can rule directly or through elected representatives.
In a direct democracy, all citizens, without the intermediary of elected or appointed officials, can participate in making public decisions.
In a representative democracy, also known as indirect democracy, people elect representatives to law making bodies who then make decisions on their behalf.
Liberal democracies are a type of representative democracy where the ability of the elected representatives to exercise decision-making power is subject to the rule of law, and moderated by a constitution that emphasizes protecting individual liberties. They are characterised by free and fair elections between multiple distinct political parties.
Constitutional democracies involve a legal framework which limits the powers of government and guarantees certain rights to citizens.
The term social democracy refers to a political ideology that aims to extend democratic principles beyond political life to the economic realm.
Important elements of democracy include: pluralism, citizen rule, majority rule, government accountability, transparency and fundamental rights.
Democracies also typically involve political competition, political equality and political freedom. Politics is competitive in a democracy in the sense that citizens are free to organize themselves into political parties and compete in elections.
Democracy does not necessarily guarantee political stability, economic prosperity, or societal harmony, but it provides the most equitable and inclusive process for managing the inevitable disagreements and conflicts within a society.