Since 1974, over 90 countries have adopted a democratic course. Around the turn of the century, 60% of the world’s independent states were considered democratic. Yet in Foreign Affairs, Larry Diamond warns us against celebrating the triumph of democracy too soon: in just
a few years, the wave of democratization has turned into an authoritarian pull that has precipitated the world into a kind of
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Freedom House’s annual review revealed that 2007 was yet another year in which worldwide freedom declined. While this report is discouraging, too much weight must not be placed on the events of a single year and there are still reasons to remain optimistic for democracy’s long term future. First of all, “most people in most places still want democracy” and are willing to take huge risks in order
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