Democratic, not democratic, a valid and useful judging of a community?

Dhamma society is governed by Dhamma; say a Dhamma Dictatorship.

DN 26 says the noble duties of a wheel-turning monarch must rely on the Dhamma (nissāya dhammaṁ).

DN 16 says a Republic also conforms to traditional dhamma (porāṇe dhamme).

The Dhamma itself is always a dictatorship, whether enacted by a ruler or by a community.

Dhamma has no place for the democracy of Mara, where people can vote to make harmful things legal & acceptable.

All autocracy, democracy, and righteousnessy could be right or wrong depending on the doer's mind moments, wholesome is right, unwholesome is wrong.

However the ordinaries normally often decide right as wrong and wrong as right because of clinging on view (ditthi-upadana), such as thinking about 'what I am answer must be right, others' must be wrong', etc. This always happen because of no virtues/moral (sila), no 8 jhana (samadhi), and no 8 knowledges(8 vijja) according to DN1 BrahmajalaSutta, DN 2 SamannaphalaSutta, DN 10 SubhaSutta, and DN 15 MahanidanaSutta.

So, according to DN 2 SamannaphalaSutta, the Buddha taught about virtues/moral (sila), 8 jhana (samadhi), and 8 knowledges(8 vijja) to let the listener understood the way to cease the argument of teacher and student at the beginning of DN2 and DN1.

To access insight the second to the seventh knowledge, the Buddha taught MN 119 Kāyagatāsatisutta to let the practitioner practice AdhiCittaSkkha (concentration meditation), and taught DN 2 SamannaphalaSutta to start the second to the seventh knowledge.

According to DN 10 SubhaSutta, every 8 vijja is AdhiPannaSikkha base on 4th Mastery Jhana.

To access insight the first knowledge, VipassanaNana, in the smallest particle, smaller than atom, which the ordinary think they are only same one, the Buddha taught DN 22 MahāsatipaṭṭhānaSutta to analysis the molecules of smallest particles (samuha-ghana), time-period of smallest particles' various moments (santatighana), co-working-duties of smallest particles' various duties (kicca-ghana), same time being-knew-objects of smallest particles' various being knew in same time (arammana-ghana).

According to DN 15 MahanidanaSutta, all above particles (plus nibbana and pannatti) are relative each others as 24 conditions, which means every particle is impermanence, suffering, and uncontrollable. And
DN 15 is the end of DN 1 which I've quoted above.

All of what I answered above are described follow the the relativity of entire DN's structure. According to the history record, DN was memorized by Ananda-thera, the Buddha's brother. He was the main role in the first Buddhist council who accepted by almost all Budกhist party.

Democracy often degenerates into foolish debates.

The Buddha was once asked to help a group of mendicants stop their ongoing harsh debate:

MN128:4.1: Then the Buddha went up to those mendicants and said,
MN128:4.2: “Enough, mendicants! Stop arguing, quarreling, and disputing.”

Three times the Buddha asked. And three times the Buddha was ignored.

In the morning the Buddha declared:

MN128:6.1: “When many voices shout at once,
MN128:6.2: no-one thinks that they’re a fool!
MN128:6.3: While the Saṅgha’s being split,
MN128:6.4: none thought another to be better.
MN128:6.5: Dolts pretending to be astute,
MN128:6.6: they talk, their words right out of bounds.
MN128:6.7: They blab at will, their mouths agape,
MN128:6.8: and no-one knows what leads them on.
MN128:6.9: “They abused me, they hit me!
MN128:6.10: They beat me, they robbed me!”
MN128:6.11: For those who bear such a grudge,
MN128:6.12: hatred never ends.
MN128:6.13: “They abused me, they hit me!
MN128:6.14: They beat me, they robbed me!”
MN128:6.15: For those who bear no such grudge,
MN128:6.16: hatred has an end.
MN128:6.17: For never is hatred
MN128:6.18: settled by hate,
MN128:6.19: it’s only settled by love:
MN128:6.20: this is an ancient law.
MN128:6.21: Others don’t understand
MN128:6.22: that here we need to be restrained.
MN128:6.23: But those who do understand this,
MN128:6.24: being clever, settle their conflicts.
MN128:6.25: Breakers of bones and takers of life,
MN128:6.26: thieves of cattle, horses, wealth,
MN128:6.27: those who plunder the nation:
MN128:6.28: even they can come together,
MN128:6.29: so why on earth can’t you?
MN128:6.30: If you find an alert companion,
MN128:6.31: a wise and virtuous friend,
MN128:6.32: then, overcoming all adversities,
MN128:6.33: wander with them, joyful and mindful.
MN128:6.34: If you find no alert companion,
MN128:6.35: no wise and virtuous friend,
MN128:6.36: then, like a king who flees his conquered realm,
MN128:6.37: wander alone like a tusker in the wilds.
MN128:6.38: It’s better to wander alone,
MN128:6.39: there’s no fellowship with fools.
MN128:6.40: Wander alone and do no wrong,
MN128:6.41: at ease like a tusker in the wilds.”

With that said, the Buddha left. The Buddha left those who would not listen and went on his way to speak with others who would listen.

Sometimes the authority simply leaves and goes on to speak to those who will listen with proper attention.