I mean, they can make up new definitions for the words "autocracy" and "democracy," I suppose, but that's not what they mean. It calls to mind Alice's discussio

I mean, they can make up new definitions for the words "autocracy" and "democracy," I suppose, but that's not what they mean. It calls to mind Alice's discussion with Humpty Dumpty: > 'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.' > 'The question is,' said Alice, 'whether you can make words mean so many different things.' Whatever caveats need to be added or however much it would differ from our ideal, I've never seen anyone call the form of government of Athens in the period between the Persian War and the Peloponnesian War anything other than "democracy." The Roman Republic, for whatever it's short comings, was a republic. America in 1790 or 1850 was at least as democratic as either of them (by the six measures you list, or by any other useful measure).