If not democracy, what?

What is democracy?

Democracy is government ‘by the people’. It lets the population as a whole choose how they will live and run their country. There are lots of versions of democracy, but they share some basic ideas. Democracy offers people the chance to take part in civic and public life. It recognises human rights and basic freedoms and provides a set of laws that protects all people equally. People can vote in fair and free elections to choose who governs. If they don’t like the government, they can change it at the next election. The transfer of power from one set of elected officials to the next is orderly and peaceful. Everyone knows how to do it and behaves themselves.

THE PEOPLE WHO CAN VOTE in elections are the ‘electorate’. That’s usually any adult who lives permanently in the nation. They have to be alive, human and resident – simple!

Can: Can’t: What do we want?

THE ELECTORATE can vote to choose which individuals or parties will govern, or vote on particular issues. In a modern democracy, each person has one vote and each person’s vote has the same value – at least in principle.

In a democracy, people are free to disagree. A majority vote wins, but all opinions are heard.

The King!

Revolution! Pizza!

Top tip

WELCOME TO THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF NEUTOPIA

Don’t rely on the name to help you spot a democracy. Some very undemocratic places are called ‘Democratic Republic’.

Democracy!

Let’s vote on it!

EVERYONE ALLOWED to vote can stand for election if they want to. The people in government should be a mix, just like the people they govern. MOST DEMOCRACIES have a written constitution. This sets out how the country will be run and the rights that people will have when they live in it. THE LAWS IN A DEMOCRACY apply to all people equally. No one is above the law, not even the people who have been elected to government.