Ironically, the very fact that democracy has such a lengthy history has actually contributed to confusion and disagreement, for 'democracy' has meant different things to different people at different times and places.

As in Athens, the right to participate was restricted to men, just as it was also in all later democracies and republics until the twentieth century.

Democracy, it appears, is a bit chancy. But its chances also depend on what we do ourselves.

Most of us readily take things for granted that at an earlier time remained to be discovered.