From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Democracy describes a small number of related forms of government. The fundamental features of democracies include government with the participation and consent of those being governed, for example through free and fair elections. Free and fair elections are usually seen to require freedom of speech (especially in political affairs), freedom of the press, and some degree of rule of law. Civilian control of the military is often seen as necessary to prevent military dictatorship and interference with political affairs.
Majority rule is a major principle of democracy, though many democratic systems do not adhere to this strictly - representative democracy is more common than direct democracy, and minority rights are often protected from what is sometimes called "the tyranny of the majority". Popular sovereignty is a common but not universal motivating philosophy for establishing a democracy.
There is not a universally accepted definition of "democracy", especially with regard 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 political state, the principles are also applicable to private organizations and other groups.
Democracy has its origins in Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, South Asia, and North and South America [2] and in modern times has spread considerably.[citation needed] 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 significant immigration, and countries that exclude certain demographic groups.
As of 2007, almost all countries in the world self-identify as democracies, but many of these are considered by various parties to be undemocratic due to a lack of political freedom or elections which are seen to be be flawed. Classification schemes include the Freedom House rankings, the Polity data series, and The Economist's Democracy Index.
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