Democracy

Democracy from greek word δημοκρατία (demokratia from greek word démos people and krάtos – rule, govern).
So people take part on the decisions, take governors positions and are responsible to follow the orders of the people.
In ancient Athens, the first democracy, if a man fall to respond to his duties as a citizen, or he tried to achieve personal benefits from his position could lose his citizenship and be exiled.
It is a little bit strange how the word democracy is used in the last 200 years by politicians. Republic would be more appropriate word for a form of government that people choose their representatives without taking actual part in the decision making.

Democracy (Greek: δημοκρατία, dēmokratiā, from dēmos ‘people’ and kratos ‘rule’)[1] is a form of government in which the people have the authority to choose their governing legislators.

wikipedia Democracy

During Peloponnesian war in Athens there was a coup to bring another form of government in Athens. 400 hundred elected legislators would govern the state. This kind of government was Oligarchy in ancient times but nowadays they call it democracy.