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The article subject matter of "Understanding Democracy" is quite a facetious one. It is difficult to explain the phenomenon that is democracy as the understanding of such a political system has always been the subject of debate among social scientist, thinkers and theorists for centuries. However there is some understanding to begotten, and I find the best way to approach it's explanation is to answer some of the following questions in order to break it down for broader audiences.

Is there really a true form of democracy?

Quite frankly, the perfect example of democracy does not exist. There are forms of democracy that operate very successfully for some nations that operate just as successfully in different form for other nations. The United States has a great form of government. Regardless of all the articles that criticize how it is a failed state or democracy, or that the US is in fact not a democracy at all because its people don't show up to vote. This is absurdity at the tip of a pen. Of course there is no perfect form of government, and democracy is far from that (readers might want to check out Plato's Republic on forms of government), but by no means does that qualify the United States as a failed state or democracy. Democracy is still the best form of government that we do have, and it works! The case for American Exceptionalism is not beyond understanding. The United States is a representative democracy (I accept a republic as well) that has risen in a short 200 years to become one of the most powerful nations in the world with a solid form of government and very successful economy.
So is there a true form of democracy? No, but the US is pretty dang close.

Is the United really a democracy?

Yes! It is also many other things. Some writers have explained that it is not a democracy it is a republic. Well a republic can be a democracy and that is exactly what we have in the United States. No need to explain definitions, but feel free to look them both up.
Despite the United States being a democracy, it does have few undemocratic tendencies. Like explained earlier, there is no perfect form of democracy, different democratic nations function differently than the next. I'm only going to name two undemocratic tendencies: 1) the Electoral College. The popular vote does not always elect the president, the Electoral College does. 2) the US Senate. Democracy is about equal representation. Having 2 representatives from each state, regardless of the state is not representative.

Doesn't democracy mean a capitalist society?

No, but it is not difficult to see that the advanced democracies around the world are all capitalist economies. Contrary to popular belief, capitalism and democracy do not have a symbiotic relationship. In fact, they are both fundamentally different. In an explanation far more complex and drawn out, it comes down to the simple fact that capitalism simply undermines democracy. Capitalism promotes self-interest where democracy promotes public interest. How they both have flourished in coexistence is quite phenomenon.

Well then, what is a democracy?
Democracy, in its true fashion, is the ultimate form of indulgence. It is doing for you what you know is best for you, not allowing others to tell you what is best for you. The denotative definitions refer to democracy as rule by the people, the majority and equality. But these are all byproducts of the people's ability to choose for themselves. Democracy is a complicated and in depth concept. Yes a democracy provides equality and majority rule, but not always!

Learn more about this author, Mayan Gabriel.
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