oxford dictionaries

dem|oc¦racy

noun (plural democracies) [MASS NOUN]

A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives:

a system of parliamentary democracy

 

[SYNONYMS] representative government, elective government, constitutional government, popular government; self-government, government by the people, autonomy; republic, commonwealth

 

[ANTONYMS] tyranny, dictatorship