Catholicism vs. Protestantism, which do you consider more "democratic"?

I'm a Protestant Christian, and we are bound only by the scripture and what it tells us about Christ and his salvation for us. We are not subject to church tradition and canon laws, and we have no need for a religious leader (like the Pope) for example. Christ is the Head of our church, not man. The Catholic faith is bound with strict canon laws, and the bible seems to take second place to their traditions and fundamental beliefs. For the protestant christians, the bible is our only source of God's word, for we believe that this is all that is needed, not traditions, rituals and man made laws.