“The freedom to express varying and often opposing ideas is essential to a variety of conceptions of democracy. If democracy is viewed as essentially a process – a way in which collective decisions for a society are made – free expression is crucial to the openness of the process and to such characteristics as elections, representation of interests, and the like.”

Democracy is a theocratic enslavement antithetical to law (enforced despotism and tyranny). Of course, a most accurate depiction of democracy was attributed to Benjamin Franklin: "Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for supper. Freedom is a well armed lamb contesting the vote." A free expression as concerns liberty / freedom, inalienable rights, individual sovereignty and personal responsibility exists at the laws of nature and of nature's God — AND — is diametrically opposed to Democracy.

Yes, the word 'democracy' has supplanted the word 'democratic-republic' which was how Thomas Jefferson described the form of government.  I agree with Mike, but if we fix the quote by using "democratic-republic' I'd give it 5 stars.

We must develop an education system where individuals have ideas to fuel the democratic system. We simply have no fuel.