Any country with a proportional representation system without an upper house is democratic enough. Unfortunately, the control of the press is a big determinant in the degree of democracy - in a country in which the press is consolidated in the hands of few private interests, the democracy will be extremely gimped through brainwashing of the privately-owned press.

I think viewing some Chomsky lectures could help a lot for acquiring some references. Also, there is the famous UCSC study that solidly demonstrated that the US was an oligarchy that was controlled by 30,000 actual people (families, children included - since 1960s - these people are a de facto aristocracy)

https://whorulesamerica.ucsc.edu/power/class_domination.html