WORD OF THE WEEK: Democracy

Our word for the week is democracy /dɪˈmɒkrəsi/. It is pronounced dem+o+cra+cy and it is a noun. I am pretty sure you have been hearing this word for a while in the news and from your Social Studies textbooks. It is defined as a system of rule where people choose their own leaders. So for example; Ghana practices a democratic rule and in a few days Ghanaians will be voting in December. The candidate who wins the most votes becomes President of the country.

Now where did this word originate from? It is from the Greek language; ‘dem‘ is from the word ‘demos‘ which means ‘common people’ and ‘crat‘ means ‘rule’, cy simply makes the word a noun. Put together – common people ruling. So the common people or citizens rule themselves by choosing people to rule for them. You can use the word democracy in a sentence this way;

1. Democracy and autocracy are two different things  

or 

2. Some examples of countries which practice democracy are; Nigeria, USA and South Africa.

I have a quick question. We know what democracy means but can you tell me what autocracy and kakistocracy means? I will be waiting for your answers in the comments section. Tell me about how you used this word during the week.

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Article by Kofi Konadu Berko.

Kofi Konadu Berko is passionate about education and youth development. He holds a B.A in Adult Education and Human Resource Studies from the University Of Ghana. His works have been  published in the historic Afroyoung Adult anthology titled Waterbirds On the Lakeshore, Adabraka: Stories From the Center Of the World, Tampered Press and the Kalahari Review. He blogs at obolokofi.wordpress.com