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Types of Democracy

Democracy is government in which power comes from the people. This lesson explains the main types of democracy: direct democracy, where citizens vote on laws themselves, and representative democracy, where they elect officials to legislate for them, plus presidential and parliamentary forms.

What democracy means

A democracy is a system of government in which political power comes from the people. Citizens either make decisions themselves or choose representatives to make decisions for them. The main types of democracy differ in how that power is exercised.

Direct democracy: citizens vote on laws. Representative democracy: citizens elect officials.

Direct democracy

In a direct democracy, citizens vote directly on laws and policies rather than through representatives. Ancient Athens is the classic example, and modern referendums and ballot initiatives are direct-democracy tools still used today.

Representative democracy

In a representative democracy, citizens elect officials to make and pass laws on their behalf. Most large modern democracies work this way because it is impractical for millions of people to vote on every issue.

Other forms

Representative democracies take different shapes. In a presidential system, voters elect the head of government separately from the legislature; in a parliamentary system, the legislature chooses the head of government. These sit alongside the broader types of government.

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Civics and government