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April 2010, Volume 21, Issue 2

Democracy and Deep Divides

How do democracies deal with the deep divisions created by race, ethnicity, religion, and language? The cases of Canada, India, and the United States show that democratic institutions—notably, competitive elections and independent judiciaries—can bridge divides and build stability, but they must find a way to manage the tension between individual and group equality.

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January 2025, Volume 36, Issue 1

When Should the Majority Rule?

With illiberal forces ascendant across the globe, protecting individual liberties and the democratic process is crucial. But when institutions empower minority groups over the majority, can democracy survive?

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April 2024, Volume 35, Issue 2

Power, Performance, and Legitimacy

Around the world, democracy has lost steam. If we are to regain the momentum, we must harness these essential elements and wage the struggle with the conviction that the times demand.

January 2015, Volume 26, Issue 1

Documents on Democracy

Excerpts from: an open letter by the Hong Kong Federation of Students to Chinese premier Li Keqiang; the campaign manifesto of former finance minister Ashraf Ghani, who was proclaimed Afghanistan’s president; the third annual Carlos Cardoso Memorial Lecture; an open letter calling for the release of human-rights activist Liu Xiaobo.

July 2020, Volume 31, Issue 3

Documents on Democracy

Remarks on China from Deputy U.S. National Security Advisor Matt Pottinger; joint statement by David Kaye, Harlem Désir, and Edison Lanza on protecting the free flow of information during the covid-19 pandemic; open letter by Indian academic and Dalit-rights activist Anand Teltumbde; reflections from Joshua Wong on the future of Hong Kong’s prodemocracy movement

April 2001, Volume 12, Issue 2

Documents on Democracy

Excerpts from: South Korean president Kim Dae Jung’s speech accepting the 2000 Nobel Prize for Peace; the inaugural address of Ghanian president John Kufor; Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s inaugural address; the “National Action Charter for the State of Bahrain”; the “Appeal for Democracy” issued on behalf of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam.

October 2017, Volume 28, Issue 4

Election Watch

Reports on elections in Albania, Angola, Congo (Brazzaville), Kenya, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Senegal, and Singapore.  

How Thai Activists Outsmarted the Generals

The regime tilted the playing field to its advantage, but it didn’t matter. Thailand’s opposition won with creativity, shrewd tactics, and a strategy that united the people. | Srdja Popovic and Steve Parks

October 2004, Volume 15, Issue 4

Election Watch

Reports on elections in Indonesia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Philippines, and Serbia.

April 2002, Volume 13, Issue 2

Election Watch

Reports on elections in Chile, Costa Rica, Gabon, The Gambia, Honduras, Madagascar, Singapore, the Solomon Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and Zambia.

April 1994, Volume 5, Issue 2

Election Watch

Reports on elections in Antigua, Costa Rica, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia, Serbia. 

April 1995, Volume 6, Issue 2

Election Watch

Reports on elections in Bulgaria, Estonia, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Niger, Uzbekistan. 

July 2003, Volume 14, Issue 3

Election Watch

Reports on elections in Argentina, Armenia, Belize, Benin, El Salvador, Montenegro, Nigeria, Paraguay, and Yemen. 

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July 2020, Volume 31, Issue 3

The Enduring Vulnerability of Liberal Democracy

Liberal democracy has drawn its share of false indictments. But like any form of government, it has genuine weaknesses that can at best be managed. How well liberals navigate these inherent tensions may help determine the future of freedom.

July 1993, Volume 4, Issue 3

Election Watch

Reports on elections in Bolivia, Burundi, Cambodia, Congo, Djibouti, Jamaica, Latvia, Lesotho, Mongolia, Niger, Paraguay, Senegal, the Solomon Islands, Yemen.

January 2014, Volume 25, Issue 1

Power Failure?

A review of The End of Power: From Boardrooms to Battlefields and Churches to States, Why Being In Charge Isn’t What It Used to Be by Moisés Naím.

October 2013, Volume 24, Issue 4

Election Watch

Reports on elections in Albania, Bhutan, Cambodia, Iran, Kuwait, the Maldives, Mali, Mongolia, Togo, and Zimbabwe.