What Is Democracy?

Democracy is one of the most widely used and highly contested terms in political science and politics. On the one hand, everyone agrees that there is no universal definition of democracy, while on the other hand, almost all rulers, particularly those whose system of governance resemble autocracy, claim that their democracy is the ideal one. This chapter discusses various elements of democracy highlighted by political philosophers and political scientists over the centuries. It argues that democracy is not only a system of governance but also a set of normative principles. The chapter analyzes four normative principles and three attributes of democracy.