Abraham Lincoln, in the well known Gettyggsburg Address, said that democracy is the “government of the people, by the people, for the people”. This definition is neither as eloquent as others offered by political philosophy, nor does it enumerate necessary elements of democratic regimes. However, it is one of the best known and most cited definitions of democracy. Do we know what we are saying when we quote Lincoln? According to his definition, those who govern are the ones who are governed. However, not only adults (with legal capacity) are governed, but also children, people in come or people with intellectual disabilities. How do they participate in governing? I offer an answer on the basis of the idea that the government has two components: control and influence. Only adults (with legal capacity) could govern by means of control but everyone can and must govern by means of influence.