How democracy conquered the world
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Democracy is a system of government in which the citizens exercise power directly or elect representatives from among themselves to form a governing body, such as a parliament.
The term appeared in the 5th century BC, to denote the political systems then existing in Greek city-states, notably Athens, to mean “rule of the people”, in contrast to an aristocracy, meaning “rule of an elite”.
Democracy consists of 4 key elements: a political system for choosing and replacing the government through free and fair elections; the active participation of the people, as citizens, in politics and civic life; protection of the human rights of all citizens; a rule of law, in which the laws and procedures apply equally to all citizens.