demokratische

Demokratische is the attributive inflected form of the German adjective demokratisch, meaning “democratic.” It is used to describe nouns related to democracy or democratic principles, and appears before the noun in combination with a definite article or determiner. The ending -e signals singular feminine or neuter nouns in nominative or accusative cases, as in die demokratische Idee (feminine singular) and das demokratische System (neuter singular). It also appears with masculine singular after a definite article: der demokratische Mann. In the plural it takes -en: die demokratischen Ideen, die demokratischen Systeme. With an indefinite article, the neuter singular takes -es (ein demokratisches System). The form demokratische can also appear in fixed expressions and in names of political parties when used as part of a proper noun.

Origins: demokratisch derives from Demokratie, which itself comes from Greek demos (people) and kratos (power/rule), via Latin democratia and French démocratie. The adjective appears in German in the modern period to describe systems, ideas, movements, and institutions characterized by popular rule and participation, and is commonly contrasted with autokratisch or totalitär.

See also: Demokratie, demokratisieren, demokratisches Prinzip, demokratische Reformen.