06 May 2008

Introduction: Principles of Democracy

(The following introduction is taken from the U.S. Department of State publication, Principles of Democracy.)

This page contains 21 pieces in a new series of one-page primers on the fundamentals of democracy produced by the State Department’s Bureau of International Information Programs. Each of these short papers is available in English, Arabic, Chinese, Dari, French, Korean, Pashto, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish versions.

Although the term is ubiquitous in today's world, explaining "democracy" can be challenging. This series provides the reader with an overview paper and then breaks down the specific elements of democratic governance into individual topics. Each paper in the series reflects both the thinking of mainstream theorists and common practices of the many free societies now flourishing under systems of democratic governance.

What questions do you have about democracy? Would you like to suggest a topic? Please send comments or suggestions to: iiptcp@state.gov.