Synopsis Democracy, which derives from the Greek word “demos,” or “People,” is defined, basically, as government in which the supreme power is vested in the people. In some forms, democracy can be exercised directly by the people; in large societies, it is by the people through their elected agents. Democracy is a political system in which all the members of the society have an equal share of formal political power.

Asia has the promise of democracy with democratically elected Governments in all of South Asia and in many other parts of the region. Countries in Asia have adopted different systems and models of democracy that have been influenced by their historical past. India’s political experiment as a sustainable and successful democracy should logically provide a workable model for all the other South Asian Nations.