Democracy

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For other uses, see Democracy (disambiguation) and Democratic Party.

In political theory, Democracy describes a small number of related forms of government and also a political philosophy. A common feature of democracy as currently understood and practiced is competitive elections= . Competitive elections are usually seen to require freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and some degree of= rul= e of law. Civilian control of the military= is often seen as necessary to prevent military dictatorship and interference = with political affairs. In some countries, democracy is based on the philosophic= al principle of equal rights.

Majority rule is a major principle of democracy, though many democratic systems = do not adhere to this strictly - representative democracy is more com= mon than direct democracy, and minority rights are often protected from what is sometimes called "the tyranny of the majority". Popular sovereignty is common but not uni= versal motivating philosophy for establishing a democracy.

No universally accepted definition of 'democracy' exists, especially with rega= rd to the elements in a society which are required for it.^=
[1] Many people use the term "democracy" as shorthand for liberal democracy, which may include additional elements such as political pluralism, equality before the law, the right to petition elected officials for redress of grievances, due= process, civil liberties, human rights, and elements of civil society outside the government. In the United States, separation of powers is often cited as a supporting attribute, but in other countries, such as the United Kingdom, the dominant philosophy is parliamentary sovereignty (though in practice judicial independence is generally maintained). In other cases, "democracy" is used to mean direct democracy.

Though the term "democracy" is typically used in the context of a politi= cal state, the pr= inciples are also applicable to private org= anizations and other groups. Democracy has its origins in Ancient India, Ancient Greece, A= ncient Rome, Europe, and North and South America ^[2] but modern conceptions are significantly different. Democracy has been called the "last form of government" and has spread considerably across the globe.^=
[3] Suffrage= has been expanded in many jurisdictions over time from relatively narrow groups (such as wealthy men of a particular ethnic group), but still remains a controversial issue with regard disputed territories, areas with significan= t immig= ration, and countries that exclude certain demographic groups.

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