The Rise Of Democracy The beginning, or origin of democracy was that of Athens, Greece in the year 508 BC. It lasted a total of 104 years, which is pretty good for its first time in real use. At the time of its creation it was 1 form of democracy that we know today as direct democracy. The idea of direct democracy was that every citizen voted directly for the laws over themselves. Then only one-year later from its creation came yet another form of democracy, that type was and is known as indirect democracy. That form meant that people elected representatives to represent them in voting for the law