First Democracy: The Challenge of an Ancient Idea

The West has an unwavering faith in democracy. But how democratic is America's own 'democracy'? If you can vote, if the majority rules, if you have elected representativesdoes this automatically mean that you have a democracy? In this eye-opening study of an ideal that we all take for granted, classical scholar Paul Woodruff offers surprising answers to these questions. Woodruff immerses us in the world of ancient Athens to uncover how the democratic impulse first came to life. The heart of the book isolates seven conditions that are the sine qua non of democracy: freedom from tyranny (including the tyranny of majority rule), harmony (the blending of different views), the rule of law, natural equality, citizen wisdom, reasoning without knowledge, and general education. He concludes that a true democracy must be willing to invite everyone to join in government. It must respect the rule of law so strongly that even the government is not above the law. True democracy must be mature enough to accept changes that come from the people. And it must be willing to pay the price of education for thoughtful citizenship.