民主主義(みんしゅしゅぎ)

民主主義(みんしゅしゅぎ) is the standard term for democracy as a political ideology and system of government. The word is composed of 民主(みんしゅ) (people's sovereignty) + 主義(しゅぎ) (-ism).

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

• 民主主義(みんしゅしゅぎ)を守(まも)る: to protect democracy
• 民主主義(みんしゅしゅぎ)国家(こっか): a democratic nation
• 民主主義(みんしゅしゅぎ)の原則(げんそく): principles of democracy

RELATED TERMS:

• 民主的(みんしゅてき): democratic (na-adjective, used to describe processes or attitudes)
• 民主化(みんしゅか): democratization
• 直接(ちょくせつ)民主主義(みんしゅしゅぎ): direct democracy
• 間接(かんせつ)民主主義(みんしゅしゅぎ): representative democracy

CONTRAST:
Opposed to 独裁(どくさい) (dictatorship) and 専制(せんせい)政治(せいじ) (autocracy). 民主主義(みんしゅしゅぎ) emphasizes the ideology, while 民主(みんしゅ)政治(せいじ) refers specifically to democratic governance as a system.