Democracy is the idea that political legitimacy flows upward from the people rather than downward from a king, emperor, or priestly class. It does not always guarantee wise choices, but it changes the moral basis of rule.

Its long importance lies in the claim that citizens are not merely subjects to be managed. They are participants in the political order. That shift in status reshaped modern ideas of law, representation, and civic responsibility.

Reference:

Wikipedia: Democracy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy