democracy
Pluraldemocracies (some meanings)
- 1Rule by the people as a form of government, exercised either directly or through elected representatives.
A healthy democracy depends on citizens being free to vote and speak.
Some thinkers argue that direct democracy works best in small communities.
Similarself-government, self-rule
Oppositedictatorship, autocracy, tyranny, totalitarianism
Note
The root sense, and the one the Greek name spells out: demo- "people" plus -cracy "rule". It reached English through Middle French democratie and Medieval Latin democratia. Here it is uncountable and names the principle, so it takes no article: the transition from aristocracy to democracy, democracy in its purest form. Qualifiers sort its kinds, as in direct democracy and representative democracy. Add a or a plural and the word shifts to a particular government.
- 2A country in which the people govern directly or choose their representatives by voting.
Switzerland is often described as a democracy with strong local control.
Several young democracies in the region struggled with corruption after independence.
Oppositedictatorship, autocracy
Note
A whole country counted as a unit, which is why this sense pairs so readily with become and the plural. South Africa became a democracy in 1994, and Biden called on democracies to stand together. It can also be set against republic, as in Yascha Mounk's 2018 line in The Atlantic that the United States "was founded as a republic, not a democracy."
- 3A government in which power rests with the people it governs, exercised either directly or through representatives they elect.
The colony eventually became a democracy with an elected assembly.
Critics argued the new democracy concentrated too much power in the legislature.
Oppositedictatorship, autocracy
Note
Here the word is countable and technical. It names one government that can be measured against others, and that makes the label contestable. Edwin L. James noted in 1947 that the Russians claimed to have a democracy their American readers would not recognize. Fareed Zakaria argued that in 1900 no country passed the test of elections in which every adult citizen could vote. Careful writers say which test they mean.
- 4Belief in political freedom and equality, the animating spirit that values self-government and equal rights.
The movement was driven by a deep faith in democracy and human equality.
Her speeches breathed the spirit of democracy, calling for both freedom and fairness.
Similaregalitarianism
Oppositeauthoritarianism
Note
The word turned inward: a conviction a person or movement holds, rather than a system a state has. It keeps company with spirit, faith and righteousness. Charles Horton Cooley in 1918 counted democracy among the "states of the human spirit," and Masaryk described Bakunin's democracy as religious in character. The phrase the spirit of democracy is the surest sign of this sense rather than the form of government.
Practice
Can you tell the meanings of democracy apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.
Origin
It comes from Ancient Greek dēmokratĭā, made from parts meaning 'people' plus 'rule', and reached English through Medieval Latin dēmocratia and Middle French democratie.