in most democratic states , however has meant representative government . the ordinary citizen comes unto the process only by casting a vote in favour of a representative or of the broad policy of a party . Decision on concrete, or to a smaller group , the government or 'executive' ,acting with the consent of the legislature. so what we have in practice by the people as a whole and responsible to the people as the next election and replaced by a different group of rulers. Vestiges of pure democratic procedure are found basic issues . but generally speaking democracy in the modern world means representative government, the democratic element consisting in popular and the possibility of dismissal.