Representative democracy is a form of government where elected officials represent a group of people, as opposed to direct democracy where citizens vote on all issues themselves. In representative democracies, elections are held periodically, providing citizens with the opportunity to vote for their preferred candidates. These representatives then make legislative decisions, ideally reflecting the will of their constituents. This system is prevalent in many developed nations, allowing for an organized approach to governance and law-making, while still giving citizens the power to influence government through elections.