Democracy is a form of government in which supreme political power ultimately resides in the people, who either exercise that power directly or through representatives elected by them. The term is derived from the Greek words *demos* (people) and *kratos* (rule), literally meaning “rule of the people.” In its simplest sense, democracy signifies a system in which the authority of the state is grounded in the will and consent of the governed. In social and political philosophy, democracy is not merely a method of choosing rulers but a normative ideal concerned with political equality, freedom, participation, and justice. It presupposes that all individuals are morally equal and therefore entitled to an equal voice in collective decision-making. This moral equality forms the philosophical foundation of democratic thought. Thinkers such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau emphasized popular sovereignty, arguing that legitimate political authority arises only from the general will of the people. Similarly, John Locke defended government based on consent, maintaining that political power is a trust granted by individuals to protect