Representative democracy is a political system in which decisions affecting a community or society as a whole are not taken directly by its members but rather by a smaller group of people whom they have elected through a process of voting to represent their interests and make decisions on their behalf. This form of democracy is common in large and complex societies where direct participation by all citizens in every decision may be impractical. Elected representatives are typically accountable to their constituents and may be removed from office through regular elections if they fail to represent their interests effectively.