democracy

Definitions

demo (people) + -cracy (rule, from Greek kratos) = 'rule by the people.' The whole point of the word is that authority comes from the dēmos — the ordinary citizens — not from a king or an elite.

Why It Means This

Democracy was coined in ancient Athens to name a radical experiment: letting ordinary citizens, not a hereditary king or a noble class, hold sovereign power. The word literally places power in the demos — the common crowd. That is why it sits in direct contrast to its sibling words: autocracy (power held by one) and aristocracy (power held by the few). The whole -cracy family answers the question "rule by whom?"; democracy's answer is "by everyone."

Common Collocations

• 1.liberal democracy自由民主
• 2.direct democracy直接民主
• 3.representative democracy代议制民主
• 4.threat to democracy对民主的威胁

Example Sentences

• 1.

  In a democracy, every adult citizen has the right to vote.

• 2.

  The country slowly moved from dictatorship to democracy.

• 3.

  A healthy democracy depends on a free and independent press.