Democracy: The lessons of history

Despite their many shortcomings, those ancient Athenians and Florentines still can illuminate democracy's more aesthetic values. Miles J. Unger writes in his Boston Globe article: "While it is unrealistic in a nation of more than a quarter billion people to revive the direct street-corner democracy of ancient Athens or Renaissance Florence, we could learn valuable lessons from our predecessors. True democracy requires a level of engagement long missing from our political system. It demands that we be citizens, not merely voters."

Link to article: Democracy: The lessons of history