A rhetorical term emphasizing that ultimate sovereignty resides with "the people" as an undifferentiated whole, often used to contrast with "elite-based" or "property-based" systems. It can be a genuine call for populist empowerment or an empty slogan used by authoritarian regimes to claim legitimacy while suppressing actual popular will. Its meaning is entirely dependent on who gets to define "the people."
Example: Populist movements on both the left and right claim to champion People-Based Democracy against a "corrupt elite." However, in practice, this can lead to majoritarian tyranny, as seen when a leader, claiming a direct connection to "the real people," bypasses institutional checks and balances, arguing they are obstructing the people's will.
by Dumu The Void February 5, 2026
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