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Scholarly resources on JSTOR include Archival and Current Journals, Books, and Primary Sources.
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Britannica School covers the core subject areas of English, Maths, Science and History. Interactive lessons, activities, games, stories, worksheets, manipulatives, study guides and research tools.
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Informit Explore helps you find reliable Australian articles and research easily.

Democracy - Definition

democracy, literally, rule by the people. The term is derived from the Greek dēmokratia, which was coined from dēmos (“people”) and kratos (“rule”) in the middle of the 5th century bce to denote the political systems then existing in some Greek city-states, notably Athens.

From: Encyclopædia Britannica. (n.d.). democracy. Britannica School. Retrieved November 12, 2025, from https://school-eb-com-au.db.scotch.wa.edu.au/levels/high/article/democracy/29895

Democracy - Britannica
Retrieved from: Encyclopædia Britannica. (n.d.). democracy. Britannica School. Retrieved November 12, 2025, from https://school-eb-com-au.db.scotch.wa.edu.au/levels/high/article/democracy/29895
Democracy - World Book
Retrieved from: Swank, D. (2025). Democracy. In World Book Student.
https://www.worldbookonline.com/student-new/#/article/home/ar153840
Democracy fact sheet - Parliament Education Office
Retrieved from: Parliamentary Education Office. (2023, October 19). Democracy. Peo.gov.au. https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/how-parliament-works/system-of-government/democracy

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Information on: The concept of democracy: what makes a healthy democracy (free elections, rule of law, accountability, pluralism) and why it matters.

Retrieved from: What Is Democracy? (2019). ClickView. https://clickv.ie/w/rD_3

Is democracy the best way to select who runs our country? Is it unequivocally a good thing? Professor Derek Matravers discusses Plato's argument against democracy.

Retrieved from: YouTube. (n.d.). Www.youtube.com. Retrieved November 12, 2025, from https://www.youtube.com/embed/7dVwH7oaqS4?si=GbyOsQBH153chclM

Origins of Democracy

Global democracy - 2500 BCE to 1770 CE
Retrieved from: Exploring Democracy · Global democracy - 2500 BCE to 1770 CE · Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. (2024). Moadoph.gov.au. https://explore.moadoph.gov.au/timelines/global-democracy-2500-bce-to-1770-ce.html

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These 21 milestones represent some of the most important events and turning points in the history of democracy across the world, from the earliest known citizens’ assemblies more than 4,500 years ago, to the popular revolutions of the 17th and 18th centuries.

Note: CE = Common Era, a term now commonly used to describe the last 2,000 years. BCE = Before the Common Era, a term now commonly used to describe the period before the Common Era. Please note this is archived content and as such not updated.

Retrieved from: Academy for American Democracy - Voting in Ancient Athens. (2019). ClickView. https://clickv.ie/w/3D_3

Retrieved from: Academy for American Democracy - The Road to Athenian Democracy. (2019). ClickView. https://clickv.ie/w/HE_3

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Magna Carta

Magna Carta, English Great Charter, charter of English liberties granted by King John on June 15, 1215, under threat of civil war and reissued, with alterations, in 1216, 1217, and 1225. By declaring the sovereign to be subject to the rule of law and documenting the liberties held by “free men,” the Magna Carta provided the foundation for individual rights in Anglo-American jurisprudence.

From: Encyclopædia Britannica. (n.d.). Magna Carta. Britannica School. Retrieved November 12, 2025, from https://school-eb-com-au.db.scotch.wa.edu.au/levels/high/article/Magna-Carta/50003

Retrieved from:

Australian Human Rights Commission. (2015). Magna carta - the story of our freedom [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA-y8uOJs9k

Magna Carta - Britannica
Retrieved from: Encyclopædia Britannica. (n.d.). Magna Carta. Britannica School. Retrieved November 12, 2025, from https://school-eb-com-au.db.scotch.wa.edu.au/levels/high/article/Magna-Carta/50003
Explore the Magna Carta infographic (an interactive story)
Retrieved from: Developers, T. E. and H. (2015). The Story of Our Freedom - educational digital resources on the history of Magna Carta and its human rights legacy. Www.humanrights.gov.au. https://humanrights.gov.au/magnacarta/infographic/

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Democracy facts

Governance

Government - Britannica
Retrieved from: Encyclopædia Britannica. (n.d.). government. Britannica School. Retrieved November 12, 2025, from https://school-eb-com-au.db.scotch.wa.edu.au/levels/high/article/government/106262

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Government, the political system by which a country or community is administered and regulated.
The Five Main Forms of Governance - The Rule of Law Organisation
Retrieved from: Democracy and Government | Rule of Law Education Centre. (n.d.). Rule of Law. https://www.ruleoflaw.org.au/education/democracy-and-government/

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There are many different types of governments around the world today, but only five form the basic characteristics of rule. Each one has elements that can be found in various government systems, from autocracy to democracy.

Retrieved from: What are the Different Forms of Government? (n.d.). Www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sgAwVpCOOI

Retrieved from: Government Types. (2017, May 19). Wordpandit. https://wordpandit.com/governments-types-kinds-varieties/

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Main types of governments plus advantages & disadvantages:

Global governance

Government type - The World Fact Book - CIA
Retrieved from: CIA. (2024). Government Type - the World Factbook. Www.cia.gov. https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/government-type/

World's states coloured by systems of government:

Retrieved from: Wikipedia Contributors. (2025, October 31). Template:Systems of government. Wikipedia; Wikimedia Foundation.

Attribution: Newfraferz87 - File:BlankMap-World.svg, Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=99554403

Countries by Government System:

Retrieved from: Mapping The World’s Legal Government Systems - Full Size. (2025). Visualcapitalist.com. https://www.visualcapitalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Mapping-The-Worlds-Legal-Government-Systems-Full.html

Types of Democracy

Representative Democracy - Britannica
Retrieved from:Encyclopædia Britannica. (n.d.). representative democracy. Britannica School. Retrieved November 12, 2025, from https://school-eb-com-au.db.scotch.wa.edu.au/levels/high/article/representative-democracy/636897

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Representative democracy, political system in which citizens of a country or other political entity vote for representatives to handle legislation and otherwise rule that entity on their behalf.
Direct Democracy - Britannica
Retrieved from: Encyclopædia Britannica. (n.d.). direct democracy. Britannica School. Retrieved November 12, 2025, from https://school-eb-com-au.db.scotch.wa.edu.au/levels/high/article/direct-democracy/608826

Development of Australia's Representative Democracy

Democracy Online Program - Department of the Premier and Cabinet - W.A.
Retrieved from: Democracy Online Program Background Notes. (n.d.). https://www.wa.gov.au/system/files/2024-10/democracybackgroundnotes.pdf

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Australia's system of government grew over time from single Governors representing the British Parliament to the fully elected representative democracy that functions today.
Milestones in Australian Democracy - Timeline
Retrieved from: Exploring Democracy · Milestones in Australian democracy · Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. (2024). Moadoph.gov.au. https://explore.moadoph.gov.au/timelines/milestones-in-australian-democracy.html

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Our Turning Points in Australian Democracy timeline contains over 500 milestones that mark key events and turning points in Australian democracy. It takes you on a virtual journey through time and place, and glimpse key moments in the history of democratic ideas, laws and institutions.
People of Australian Democracy - Museum of Australian Democracy
Retrieved from: Exploring Democracy · Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. (2015). Moadoph.gov.au. https://explore.moadoph.gov.au/people.html
Please note: This is an archived webpage and as such it is not being updated
The Senate and Representative Democracy
Retrieved from: The Senate and Representative Democracy. (2025). Aph.gov.au. https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Senate/Research_and_
Education/~/~/link.aspx?_id=DCF2CDCE8D454BBA9768A9B61474D94F&_z=z

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Australia was created as a representative democracy. Uniquely at the time of Federation, both houses of the federal parliament were elected by the people— originally by universal male suffrage and within a couple of years by universal suffrage. Moreover, all those eligible to vote were also eligible to stand for election.

Retrieved from: Democracy - BTN Special. (n.d.). Www.youtube.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh-s6uW3UYU

Retrieved from: (2025). Youtu.be. https://youtu.be/OmKneYVkc-4?si=7DzaSdeci7dL9o4Z

Australian Democracy - Museum of Australian Democracy
Retrieved from: Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. (2023). Australian democracy | Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Www.moadoph.gov.au. https://www.moadoph.gov.au/explore/democracy/australian-democracy

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Every democratic society is distinct. The same is true for Australia, which is a representative democracy and, currently, a constitutional monarchy.
It shares similarities and traditions with British and North American democracies, but also has its unique features.

Glossary:

Retrieved from: Dictionary.com. (2025). Dictionary.com. https://www.dictionary.com/

Parliamentary Glossary
Retrieved from: Glossary - Parliamentary Education Office. (2024). Peo.gov.au. https://peo.gov.au/understand-our-parliament/glossary#A
Glossary of Constitutional Terms
Retrieved from: Glossary of constitutional terms. (n.d.). Referendum 2023. https://civicsaustralia.org.au/glossary-of-constitutional-terms/
Democracy in Australia - Glossary
Retrieved from: Glossary. (2021). In Democracy in Australia. The Spinney Press. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.T2024043000032000486855303

Voting

Should voting remain compulsory in federal elections?

Yes

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The Australian Constitution allows Parliament to decide how elections are run. In 1924, Parliament passed a law making voting in federal elections compulsory. Before this, voting was optional, although enrolling to vote had been compulsory since 1911.

Senator Herbert Payne introduced the bill because fewer people were voting. In 1919, about 71% of enrolled voters voted, but by 1922 this had dropped to under 60%. Payne argued that if only half the population voted, Parliament could not properly represent the people or make fair laws.

When the law passed in 1924, it applied to Australians aged 21 and over, which was the adult age at the time. The change had an immediate effect—voter turnout rose to over 91% in the 1925 election.

Voting age

Should we lower the age of compulsory voting to 16?

Yes

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At 16, you can learn to drive, open a bank account, get a job, pay taxes, be on the Organ Donor Register, and apply to join the army.

But there is something you are still considered too young to do — vote. Currently, those aged 16 can enrol to vote, but they are unable to exercise their democratic right until they are 18.