Pure democracy is an imbecilic notion and imo people should take an intelligence test to be able to vote. Not really but public opinion is so swayed and unknowledgeable that representative democracy controlled by a political elite is the only realistic form of democracy.

And sometimes people must extend their powers. Let's look at imo the most powerfuly middle eastern nation, turkey. Why are they the dominant faction even without vast oil reserves? Because amid a sea of islamic fundementalist nation states they are secular and westernized. And why are they like this? Because whenever islamic clerics fundies of course attempt to seize power the military squashes them since ataturk. There are other reasons of course but that is key and some would argue that turkey has a better representation for its constituents than many other nations (unless your a kurd)

Other me examples egypt pakistan (before the current events there of course lol)