The document compares and contrasts representative democracy with authoritarian government. Representative democracy accepts principles of liberalism like rule of law, individual rights and freedoms, economic freedom, and private property. Authoritarian government accepts some liberal principles like rule of law, private property, and competition, but rejects individual rights and freedoms. Representative democracy is characterized by elected representatives and selected parties, while authoritarian government concentrates power in a single charismatic leader. Examples of each type of government are given, along with metaphors for democracy and authoritarianism. The document concludes that Canada's parliamentary democracy best suits Canadians by allowing for fair representation at all levels of government.