Final answer:
To be a full member of a parish with voting rights in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, one had to be granted land and admitted to church membership by the congregation. 'Squatters' could attend town meetings but had no voting rights. This reflects both the lack of a full democratic system and the presence of some democratic features.
Step-by-step explanation:
In historical contexts, particularly during the era of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, one had to live in the locality and be granted land by the town to be considered an 'inhabitant' with full church membership, and thereby hold full political rights. These rights included participating in town meetings, where local rule played an essential part in governance. However, not everyone living in a parish automatically became a full church member with voting rights. There were also 'squatters,' who, despite being residents of the town without land ownership, could attend and speak in town meetings but were not entitled to vote. The system was not strictly democratic, as only certain church members could vote, but it did have democratic elements like the town meetings which welcomed all residents to participate in discussions.