American Gov — Foundations of Democratic Government + 5 more topics

When we talk about democratic government, we're really talking about a system where the people hold the power, either directly or through elected representatives. It's not just about voting; it's about a set of beliefs and rules that shape how that power is used.

In a democracy, the people hold the power. The question is, how do they use that power? That's where direct and indirect democracy come in.

Photo by Mikhail Nilov on Pexels

When we talk about democracy, we often immediately think of elections and voting. While these are crucial, they only scratch the surface. Political scientists distinguish between two main types of democratic ideals: procedural democracy and substantive democracy. They aren't mutually exclusive, but rather different lenses through which to evaluate a government.