The Spirit of Democracy

"A neatly structured survey examines the prospects for universal democracy. . . . A refreshingly evenhanded overview of democracy's global prospects." — Kirkus Reviews "Meticulous [and] gleaned from his experience . . . Diamond is at his best when he recounts how ordinary people affect the democratic process." — The New York Times Book Review In 1974, nearly three-quarters of all countries were dictatorships: today, more than half are democracies. Yet recent efforts to promote democracy have stumbled, and many democratic governments are faltering. In this sweeping vision for advancing freedom around the world, Larry Diamond, a renowned sociologist at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and coeditor of the Journal of Democracy, examines how democracy progresses. He demonstrates that the desire for democracy runs deep, even in very poor countries, and why seemingly entrenched regimes like Iran and China could become democracies within a generation. Diamond urges the United States to vigorously support good governance and free civic organizations. Only then will the spirit of democracy be secured. "Diamond is . . . eloquent in arguing that despite the recent blunders of American democracy promoters, there is still a role for the international community in helping societies that are struggling to be free." — Foreign Affairs