Literally "rule by the people," democracy is a system of government in which the candidates or policies which garner the widest support of the populace (usually measured by direct voting) are adopted. In addition to theoretical considerations of democratic government and competing democratic systems, this category also includes organizations and resources on subjects such as democracy-building and enlivening debate in democratic societies.
"Democracy" is a much-abused term in political rhetoric. To maintain the usability of this directory, please do not submit
sites concerning individual political or social issues (see Society/Issues)
In systems of direct democracy, the entire citizenry is given franchise in deciding public policy. This differs from systems of republican and representative democracy, in which citizens vote only to elect representatives and on specific initiatives or plebiscites for which public referendum is approved.
This category includes both sites which advocate the complete replacement of representative democracy with direct democracy, and those which seek to expand the use and scope of referenda and plebiscites in making public policy.