Democracy

Extracted Attributes

• Etymology

  Ancient Greek: dēmos (people) and krátos (rule)

• Key Features

  Freedom of assembly, association, speech, and religion

• Current Risk Level

  Stage 5 of the internal conflict cycle (per Ray Dalio)

• Economic Association

  Associated with improved health, education, and economic outcomes

• Fiscal Fragility Marker

  6% deficit to GDP ratio forecasted for 2026 for the United States

• Global Prevalence (2022)

  Less than 50% of the world population according to V-Dem and Economist indices

Timeline

• Cleisthenes establishes the first example of democracy in Athens, Greece, to reform the political system. (Source: Wikipedia)

  -0508-01-01

• Herodotus records the first attested use of the word 'democracy' in 'Histories' to describe the Greek political system. (Source: Wikipedia)

  -0430-01-01

• Suffrage movements begin expanding democratic citizenship from an elite class to all adults globally. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1801-01-01

• V-Dem and Economist indices report that less than 50% of the population lives in a democracy. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2022-12-31

• CBO forecasts a 6% US deficit to GDP ratio, which Ray Dalio warns could cause a breakdown in democracy. (Source: All-In Podcast)

  2026-01-01

Democracy

Democracy (from Ancient Greek: δημοκρατία, romanized: dēmokratía, from dēmos 'people' and krátos 'rule') is a form of government in which political power is vested in the people or the population of a state. 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. In a direct democracy, the people have the direct authority to deliberate and decide legislation. In a representative democracy, the people choose governing officials through elections to do so. The definition of "the people" and the ways authority is shared among them or delegated by them have changed over time and at varying rates in different countries. Features of democracy often include freedom of assembly, association, personal property, freedom of religion and speech, citizenship, consent of the governed, voting rights, freedom from unwarranted governmental deprivation of the right to life and liberty, and minority rights. The notion of democracy has evolved considerably over time. Throughout history, one can find evidence of direct democracy, in which communities make decisions through popular assembly. Today, the dominant form of democracy is representative democracy, where citizens elect government officials to govern on their behalf such as in a parliamentary or presidential democracy. In the common variant of liberal democracy, the powers of the majority are exercised within the framework of a representative democracy, but a constitution and supreme court limit the majority and protect the minority—usually through securing the enjoyment by all of certain individual rights, such as freedom of speech or freedom of association. The term appeared in the 5th century BC in Greek city-states, notably Classical Athens, to mean "rule of the people", in contrast to aristocracy (ἀριστοκρατία, aristokratía), meaning "rule of an elite". In virtually all democratic governments throughout ancient and modern history, democratic citizenship was initially restricted to an elite class, which was later extended to all adult citizens. In most modern democracies, this was achieved through the suffrage movements of the 19th and 20th centuries. Democracy contrasts with forms of government where power is not vested in the general population of a state, such as authoritarian systems. Historically a rare and vulnerable form of government, democratic systems of government have become more prevalent since the 19th century, in particular with various waves of democratization. Democracy garners considerable legitimacy in the modern world, as public opinion across regions tends to strongly favor democratic systems of government relative to alternatives, and as even authoritarian states try to present themselves as democratic. Democracy more consistently results in improved health, education and economic outcomes. According to the V-Dem Democracy indices and The Economist Democracy Index, less than half the world's population lives in a democracy as of 2022. At the same time, while representative democracy is widely valued, Pew Research Center found that dissatisfaction with democratic performance is common even in many established democracies.

Web Search Results

• Democracy

  Democracy (from Ancient Greek: δημοκρατία, romanized:_dēmokratía_, from _dēmos_ 'people' and _krátos_ 'rule')( is a form of government in which political power is vested in the people or the population of a state.( 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.( [...] The term _democracy_ first appeared in ancient Greek political and philosophical thought in the city-state of Athens during classical antiquity.( The word comes from _dêmos_ '(common) people' and _krátos_ 'force/might'.( Under Cleisthenes, what is generally held as the first example of a type of democracy in the sixth-century BC (508–507 BC) was established in Athens. Cleisthenes is referred to as "the father of Athenian democracy".( The first attested use of the word democracy is found in prose works of the 430s BC, such as Herodotus' _Histories "Histories (Herodotus)")_, but its usage was older by several decades, as two Athenians born in the 470s were named Democrates, a new political name—likely in support of democracy—given at a time of debates over constitutional issues in Athens. [...] In a direct democracy, the people have the direct authority to deliberate and decide legislation. In a representative democracy, the people choose governing officials through elections to do so. The definition of "the people" and the ways authority is shared among them or delegated by them have changed over time and at varying rates in different countries. Features of democracy often include freedom of assembly, association, personal property, freedom of religion and speech, citizenship, consent of the governed, voting rights, freedom from unwarranted governmental deprivation of the right to life and liberty, and minority rights.

• Democracy | United Nations

  Global Issues # Democracy Democracy is a core value of the United Nations. The UN supports democracy by promoting human rights, development, and peace and security. In the 79 years since the UN Charter was signed, the UN has done more to support democracy around the world than any other global organization. The UN promotes good governance, monitors elections, supports civil society to strengthen democratic institutions and accountability, ensures self-determination in decolonized countries, and assists in the drafting of new constitutions in post-conflict nations. [...] The UN does not advocate for a specific model of government but promotes democratic governance as a set of values and principles that should be followed for greater participation, equality, security and human development. Democracy provides an environment that respects human rights and fundamental freedoms, and in which the freely expressed will of people is exercised. People have a say in decisions and can hold decision-makers to account. Women and men have equal rights and all people are free from discrimination [...] ## Democracy and Civil Society: The United Nations Democracy Fund The United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) funds projects that empower civil society, promote human rights, and encourage the participation of all groups in democratic processes. Currently, for example, UNDEF finances projects to mobilize the youth for elections in Côte d'Ivoire, to engage men in promoting gender equality in Palestine, and to build a platform for citizen advocacy in elections in Brazil. Most of UNDEF funds go to local civil society organizations in countries in both the transition and consolidation phases of democratisation.

• [PDF] Democracy in the United States

  Your Government and You H www.uscis.gov/citizenship 1 Democracy in the United States The United States is a representative democracy. This means that our government is elected by citizens. Here, citizens vote for their government officials. These officials represent the citizens’ ideas and concerns in government. Voting is one way to participate in our democracy. Citizens can also contact their officials when they want to support or change a law. Voting in an election and contacting our elected officials are two ways that Americans can participate in their democracy. Voting booth in Atascadero, California, in 2008. Photo by Ace Armstrong. Courtesy of the Polling Place Photo Project.

• Democracy | Definition, History, Meaning, Types, Examples, & Facts

  ### Where was democracy first practiced? Studies of contemporary nonliterate tribal societies and other evidence suggest that democracy, broadly speaking, was practiced within tribes of hunter-gatherers in prehistoric times. The transition to settled agricultural communities led to inequalities of wealth and power between and within communities and hierarchical nondemocratic forms of social organization. Thousands of years later, in the 6th century BCE, a relatively democratic form of government was introduced in the city-state of Athens by Cleisthenes. ### How is democracy better than other forms of government? [...] - Political culture + Contemporary democratic systems - Presidential and parliamentary systems - Unitary and federal systems - Proportional and winner-take-all systems - Two-party and multiparty systems - Majoritarian and consensual systems The theory of democracy [...] PBS LearningMedia - The Birth of Democracy | The Greeks Princeton University - Populism and Democratic Theory Berkeley Sociology - Hegemony and Democracy in Gramsci’s Prison Notebooks (PDF) Europeana - A history of democracy in Europe: from Ancient Greece to the European Union The Washington Post - When Democracy Meets Aristocracy ABC listen - God Forbid - Government and God: The blurring lines between theocracies and democracies The UNESCO Courier - What is democracy? Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Democracy Emory Law Scholarly Commons - Ostracism and Democracy Project MUSE - The Order of Know-�Nothings and Secret Democracy (PDF) Loyola University Chicago - Political Legitimacy and Democracy Social Science LibreTexts - Democracies and Democratization

• What is Democracy? - Government

  College of Arts & Sciences Department of Government Department of Government : Democracy & Governance : News # What is democracy? Democracy is a framework of governance built on the principle that power resides with the people. In a democracy, citizens exercise authority either directly or indirectly through elected representatives, ensuring that government decisions reflect the collective will of the people while protecting their individual rights. It is a living system that directly impacts your daily life, from local school board decisions to national policy directions. [...] ## Types of democracy Direct democracy exists when citizens participate directly in policymaking through assemblies and by voting directly on issues, policies and laws. However, the complexity and scale of modern societies have made representative democracy, also known as a democratic republic, the predominant model. In a representative democracy, citizens elect officials to act as intermediaries between citizens and government. [...] Georgetown University’s Master of Arts in Democracy & Governance program will help you grow as a leader committed to promoting democracy, human rights and good governance. As the only program directly focused on democracy and governance, we professionalize students through a blend of theory, practice and focused training. Our curriculum covers the complexities of contemporary democracies. We explore the philosophical, social and economic factors that cause political change. Democracy’s future depends on informed, engaged citizens who understand both its potential and its limitations, and who are committed to the ongoing work of democratic improvement and renewal. ## M.A. in Democracy & Governance Join us to learn how to use good governance to promote and protect democracy.

• Instance Of

  Q4167410