Based

Based

Removing communists is based

by Dave_Der_Fuhrer July 6, 2021

Based

A adjective often used to compliment (or ironically draw attention to) an idea, a person, or group of people that display conservative or traditional ways of thinking. The opposite of “woke.”

Ben Shapiro is so based!

Jim supports the second amendment and wants to end the welfare state?? That’s based.

I realized church was based when they denounced pride month in support of the nuclear family.

by jt27 July 12, 2021

Community-Based Democracy

An umbrella term for democratic models that root political legitimacy and decision-making processes in pre-existing or intentionally formed communities, defined by geography, ethnicity, workplace, or shared interest. The community, not the abstract individual citizen, is the primary political actor. This approach often emphasizes consensus-building and cultural traditions over majoritarian voting.

Example: Many Indigenous governance systems, such as the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy’s Grand Council, operate on principles of Community-Based Democracy. Representatives (sachems) from each clan and nation deliberate with a mandate from their community, aiming for consensus in a system deeply tied to cultural and spiritual practices.

by Dumu The Void February 5, 2026

Commune-Based Democracy

Essentially synonymous with Communal Democracy, emphasizing the commune as the foundational cell. The term often carries a stronger connotation of the commune being an integrated social and economic unit, not just a political one, practicing collective ownership and mutual aid internally.

Example: The theoretical vision of Murray Bookchin’s Communalism or Libertarian Municipalism advocates for a Commune-Based Democracy. Neighborhood assemblies would form the base, federating into confederations to manage regional affairs, replacing the state with a networked system of directly democratic, ecological communes.

by Dumu The Void February 5, 2026

Assembly-Based Democracy

A synonym for Assembly Democracy, stressing that the assembly is the basis of the entire political system. All other institutions (councils, magistrates, courts) are subordinate to and recallable by the sovereign assembly of the people.

Example: Ancient Athenian democracy was an Assembly-Based Democracy for its citizen body. The Ecclesia (assembly) of all male citizens met regularly to vote on laws, declare war, and elect officials. While not inclusive by modern standards, it placed the assembly at the absolute center of power.

by Dumu The Void February 5, 2026

Local-Based Democracy

A reiteration of the Local Democracy principle, reinforcing the idea that the local unit isn't just one level among many, but the primary source of democratic legitimacy and power. Higher levels of governance are seen as service providers or coordinators for the local units, not rulers over them.

Example: The Swiss canton system, particularly in small cantons like Glarus and Appenzell Innerrhoden that still hold annual Landsgemeinde (open-air assemblies), exemplifies Local-Based Democracy. Cantons retain immense sovereignty, and the federal government’s power is constitutionally limited, preserving local primacy.

by Dumu The Void February 5, 2026

People-Based Democracy

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