I don't think that's true because they address two separate things. Democracy is just rule by the people. How much or how little rule is not implied. How much or little rule is the realm of totalitarianism vs uh, not.

You could have a government that is on the opposite end of the totalitarian scale, i.e. the government doesn't really government much of anything, but it's despotic... its just nobody listens to the poor guy.