Democracy is a system of government in which political power is vested in the people, who exercise this power either directly or through elected representatives. It is often defined as "rule by the people," deriving from the Greek words demos (people) and kratos (power or rule)

. Key elements of democracy include:

• The government operates with the freely given consent of the people, typically expressed through free and fair elections with universal suffrage and secret ballots

• It ensures political equality, where all eligible citizens have equal access to participate in legislative processes and have equal weight in voting

• Democracies protect fundamental rights and freedoms such as freedom of speech, assembly, religion, and minority rights, often enshrined in a constitution or legal framework

• It contrasts with autocracy or dictatorship (rule by one) and oligarchy (rule by a few), emphasizing government on behalf of all people, not just the majority at the expense of minorities

• Democracy can be direct, where citizens vote on laws and policies themselves, or representative, where citizens elect officials to govern on their behalf

In summary, democracy is a political system characterized by government "of the people, by the people, and for the people," with power derived from the will and participation of the population, safeguarded by legal protections and regular, free elections