Citizen participation refers to individuals influencing public decisions and has roots in ancient Greece and Colonial New England. It includes all forms of political, social, cultural, or economic engagement alone or in combination. Examples of participation are voting, petitioning, campaigning, demonstrating, serving in government roles, and civic duties. Government types that limit participation are autocracy like dictatorships and absolute monarchies, while democracy values individual freedom and involves citizens in decision making through elections and representation of all groups.