Today, democracy may appear to be in decline, but Keane shows that this isn't the whole story. In many places, such as Taiwan and Senegal, India and South Africa, distinctly local varieties are coming into being. Yet it's impossible to ignore the proliferation of populist strongmen on every continent. Is democracy past its sell-by date, or is it time to embrace the true, radical potential of an ancient idea? The invaluable series of accessible histories continues with an incisive account of the democratic process from Ancient Greece to the present day.