That form of government in which the sovereign power resides in and is exercised by the whole body of free citizens; as distinguished from a monarchy,aristocracy, or oligarchy. According to the theory of a pure democracy, every citizen should participate directly in the business of governing, and the legislative assembly should comprise the whole people. But the ultimate lodgment of the sovereignty being the distinguishing feature, the introduction of the representative system does not remove a government from this type. However, a government of the latter kind is sometimes specifically described as a Òrepresentative democracy.Ó
