Democratic principles and features

Start with the central features

Begin with What is democracy?, a mind map that describes democracy through elections and citizens’ participation in politics and civic life. Use those ideas as a starting point for reading the other maps on this page.

The mind map called Democracy includes more than one political party, political liberties and elections that hold government accountable. Another map with the same title covers freedom, protection of minorities, limits on government power and participation. Comparing their branches can help you see how the resources describe different features.

Explore foundations and theories

Foundations of Democracy brings together references to Athens, the Roman Republic and the Enlightenment, including Voltaire and freedom of speech, press and religion. Study its branches alongside the features maps to see which ideas each resource emphasizes.

Three Contemporary Theories includes citizen control of the agenda, inclusion and a free press. It offers another way to look at participation and the flow of information mentioned across the page.

Use flashcards with maps

The Democracy flashcard deck includes features of democracy, devolved and reserved powers, and rights in the UK. After studying a map, use the cards to practice recalling the ideas they share. You can then return to a map and connect any points you want to study again.

There are no quizzes listed on this page, so the maps and flashcards offer a useful starting combination for studying and recall.

Place the topic in the unit

Democratic principles and features is a section of the Democracy unit in Political science. The resources bring together features, foundations and theories within that section, giving you several ways to approach the unit. Choose a map to explore, then use a flashcard deck to practice the related ideas.