democracy
noun
de·moc·ra·cy
di-ˈmä-krə-sē
plural democracies
1
: government by the people : rule of the majority
I … have always believed in democracy, in the elementary liberal doctrine of a self-governing humanity.—G. K. Chesterton
: such as
a
: a form of government in which the people elect representatives to make decisions, policies, laws, etc. according to law
Free and fair elections are a hallmark of American democracy.—CISA.gov
called also representative democracy
b
: a form of government in which the people vote directly against or in favor of decisions, policies, laws, etc.
… in a democracy, the people meet and exercise the government in person; in a republic, they assemble and administer it by their representatives and agents. A democracy, consequently, will be confined to a small spot. A republic may be extended over a large region.—James Madison
called also direct democracy, pure democracy
2
: a country, state, etc. whose form of government is democracy : a political unit that has a democratic government
Western democracies
a parliamentary democracy such as Canada or the United Kingdom
3
a
: an organization or situation in which everyone is treated equally and has the right to participate equally in management, decision-making, etc.
A large company is not a democracy. It needs a leader to make a decision.—George Jones
… there is no democracy within the organization. A small group of self-appointed men … controls the entire effort, including its theology, finances, and personnel.—John M. Swomley
b
: political, social, or economic equality : the absence of hereditary or arbitrary class distinctions or privileges
I grew up in the pure democracy of a public grade school where everybody brought a valentine for everybody on Valentine's Day so we should feel equally loved …—Garrison Keillor
4
Democracy plural Democracies, dated
: the Democratic Party of the U.S. or its principles or policies
… that wing of the Democracy headed by Senator Douglas …—Abraham Lincoln
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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