What Our Democracy Stands For

In the context of the partition of Germany at the end of World War 2, the four powers agreed on the democratization of Germany. The problem is that the Western powers had a different definition of democracy than the Soviet Union.
For the Western nations, democracy meant free elections; a free press; freedom of political association; freedom of religion, thought, and speech; equality before the law; the right to choose one's job; the right to form free trade unions; the right to move freely within one's country, go abroad temporarily, or emigrate permanently.
Above all, freedom from fear. Citizens should not fear unwarranted intrusion by the government, particularly a secret police.
Still a good summary of our democracy.
From William Ebenstein, "Today's ISMS," p. 159, 1970.