Democracy

Democracy [dɪˈmɒkrəsi] (‘rule of the people’) refers to political systems and forms of government in which state power is held by the people. De­mocracies are characterised among other things by ­respect for human rights, the separation of powers, accountability of government, independence of the judiciary, the principle of legality of the administration, a multi-party system, and free and fair elections conducted by secret ballot.