Democracy means 'rule by the people'.

It is commonly accepted as the fairest type of government because it means that everybody is equal. Nobody is better than anybody else and everyone has the same power. The idea developed in Greece in about 507BC but only really began to take hold in the last 200 years.

But how can everybody rule? Wouldn't it be chaos?

Probably. So most democracies have a system of 'representation'. We choose, by election, someone to represent us, talk for us and fight for us in parliament. That person is a Member of Parliament in central government and a councillor in local government. Their job is to speak on our behalf and represent our interests.

Back to Main Basics Page