How elections spread, voting rights expanded, and political competition developed around the world over the last two centuries.
But if we step back and look at the longer history of democracy — as we’ll do in this article — we see a broader trend of remarkable progress. The world used to be deeply undemocratic, and despite setbacks, it remains much more democratic than it was only half a century ago.
That progress was never steady or secure. The rights and institutions that many of us now live under were built through many partial victories and outright setbacks.
We do not say this to dismiss the real issues that many democracies face today. Quite the opposite. The longer perspective helps us appreciate the democratic institutions that so many of us around the world continue to value, and the efforts that are necessary to protect and expand them.
Want more good news?
Find more news about resistance, victories, and hopeful trends: weekly Extra! Extra! posts from Chop Wood, Carry Water; biweekly Just Good News posts from the Americans of Conscience Checklist; and Your Daily Dose of Climate Hope - plus pro-democracy protest photos every day from Today's Edition Newsletter.
