The word democracy means “rule by the people.” Originally, this was used to refer to the city-states of ancient Greece where citizens had direct input into their governance and policies. Now, we use it to mean a system of government in which laws and major policy initiatives are decided by the people through regular free and fair elections open to all adult citizens. Democracies also respect basic human rights such as freedom of expression and assembly, so citizens can discuss their views and form interest or lobby groups. They guard against all-powerful central governments and decentralize their government at the local level.
The practical elements of a democracy are broadly agreed upon, including a vibrant civil society, an active and unrestricted media, checks and balances on power, free and fair elections, transparent decision-making and a well functioning legal system. But there are many nuances and debates around what democracy really is. For example, some argue that there are different forms of democracy and that it is not possible to fully measure what a democracy is.
Whether we are measuring political systems or the quality of democratic institutions within those systems, there is a need for data on how democracies are doing and what they need to do better in order to survive. There are various organizations which produce democracy indices on a country-year basis (see the Table 4.1.1), but they all have differences in their approach. For example, some consider the size of the electoral franchise to be an important indicator, while others take a more holistic approach, assessing a wide range of aspects of the democratic environment, such as the strength and functioning of democracy’s institutions and civil liberties.