liberal democracy
Elections plus rights
Liberal democracy is a political system combining majority rule with constitutional protections for individual rights and liberties.
Elections determine leadership, but limits on government power—independent courts, free press, minority rights—prevent the majority from trampling freedoms.
The protesters argued that liberal democracy was under threat.
Liberal here means committed to liberty, not left-leaning politics.
Identical legal protections
- rule of lawSupremacy of established laws
- non-discriminationEqual treatment regardless of difference
- equal opportunityUnbiased chance for all
- universal suffrageAll adults may vote
equal protection · political equality · gender equality · racial equality · egalitarianism · anti-discrimination · legal equality
Profound spiritual awakening
- social contractAgreement exchanging freedom for order
- consent of governedLegitimacy from citizen approval
- popular sovereigntyPopulace holds ultimate authority
- limited governmentOfficially bounded political authority
constitutionalism · liberalism · natural rights · self-determination · accountability · transparency · legitimacy · representation
Protected verbal liberty
- civil libertiesRights limiting government power
- human rightsInalienable personal freedoms
- freedom of assemblyRight to gather peacefully
- freedom of religionRight to practice any faith
due process · habeas corpus · privacy · press freedom · right to vote · equal protection · freedom of expression · petition
Voting document
- suffrageRight to cast ballots
- referendumDirect vote on legislation
- proportional representationSeats allocated by vote share
- electoral collegeIntermediary voting delegation system
polling · turnout · free elections · fair elections · multiparty · candidate · campaign · secret ballot
National legislative assembly
- constitutionInherent physical or structural makeup
- judiciaryLaw-interpreting government branch
- legislatureLawmaking governmental branch
- executiveSenior organizational leader
separation of powers · checks and balances · federalism · republic · senate · cabinet · supreme court · free press
Active citizenship in community
- votingFormally registering a choice
- activismDirect effort for reform
- grassrootsCommon people as political base
- petitionFormal written appeal
demonstration · lobbying · town hall · public consultation · civil society · advocacy · volunteerism · coalition building
State of varied elements
- multiculturalismCoexistence of diverse traditions
- toleranceWillingness to accept difference
- coexistenceSimultaneous presence together
- minority representationPresence of underrepresented groups
inclusivity · secularism · religious diversity · multiethnic · heterogeneity · power sharing · loyal opposition · marketplace of ideas
equal rights
Identical legal protections
- rule of lawSupremacy of established laws
- non-discriminationEqual treatment regardless of difference
- equal opportunityUnbiased chance for all
universal suffrage · equal protection · political equality · gender equality · racial equality · egalitarianism · anti-discrimination · legal equality
enlightenment
Profound spiritual awakening
- social contractAgreement exchanging freedom for order
- consent of governedLegitimacy from citizen approval
- popular sovereigntyPopulace holds ultimate authority
limited government · constitutionalism · liberalism · natural rights · self-determination · accountability · transparency · legitimacy · representation · republicanism
free speech
Protected verbal liberty
- civil libertiesRights limiting government power
- human rightsInalienable personal freedoms
- freedom of assemblyRight to gather peacefully
freedom of religion · due process · habeas corpus · privacy · press freedom · right to vote · equal protection · freedom of expression · petition · dissent
ballot
Voting document
- suffrageRight to cast ballots
- referendumDirect vote on legislation
- proportional representationSeats allocated by vote share
electoral college · polling · turnout · free elections · fair elections · multiparty · candidate · campaign · secret ballot · absentee voting
parliament
National legislative assembly
- constitutionInherent physical or structural makeup
- judiciaryLaw-interpreting government branch
- legislatureLawmaking governmental branch
executive · separation of powers · checks and balances · federalism · republic · senate · cabinet · supreme court · free press · civil service
civic engagement
Active citizenship in community
- votingFormally registering a choice
- activismDirect effort for reform
- grassrootsCommon people as political base
petition · demonstration · lobbying · town hall · public consultation · civil society · advocacy · volunteerism · coalition building · stakeholder engagement
diversity
State of varied elements
- multiculturalismCoexistence of diverse traditions
- toleranceWillingness to accept difference
- coexistenceSimultaneous presence together
minority representation · inclusivity · secularism · religious diversity · multiethnic · heterogeneity · power sharing · loyal opposition · marketplace of ideas · coalition government
- democracyvote, voting, election, elections, ballot
- governmentsmonarchy, autocracy, oligarchy, republic, tyranny
- liberal democracycivil liberties, individual rights, rule of law, separation of powers, constitutionalism
- political ideologiesconservatism, conservative, anarchism, liberalism, libertarian
- European PoliticsEU, European Parliament, European Union, EU Commission, eurozone
- political entitiesnation, state, country, kingdom, republic
liberal democracyauthoritarianism
Concentrated, unchecked governmental power
totalitarianism · dictatorship · autocracy · fascism · authoritarian rule
liberal democracytotalitarianism
State controls everything absolutely
fascism · authoritarianism · Nazism · Maoism · absolute rule
liberal democracyEastern Bloc
USSR-aligned European nations
communist bloc · People's Republic · North Korea · Putinism · Third Reich
liberal, democracy, deliberate, liberate, liberation, democratic, deliberately, democrat, deliberation