ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors argue for a narrow definition: it is a method for making collective decisions where each person’s voice has (in principle) equal weight. They shows how well democracy performs in both its instrumental and epistemic variants. The core definition of democracy is compatible with both direct and indirect (representative) democracy. In a direct democracy, all those subject to laws are creators of those laws, whereas with indirect democracy. The core definition of democracy is compatible with both direct and indirect (representative) democracy. In a direct democracy, all those subject to laws are creators of those laws, whereas with indirect democracy. Democracy is a method for making collective decisions, but it is not always possible to convert individual sets of preferences into a collective preference-ordering. Deliberative theories of democracy place emphasis on the idea of the informed voter, where being informed is a result of discussion with other voters.
