Why is democracy so important today? What does its victory truly mean in the modern world? How does it shape the political imaginary of today's individual;

Throughout the 20th century, democracy emerged as the political core of the Western culture exported to the rest of the world. Today, as emerging democracies in the Middle East and elsewhere begin to flourish, it is more crucial than ever to understand what democracy really is.

In this book, John Dan, one of the leading political thinkers in England, aims to explain the unique position that democracy holds in today's world. Through a historical overview, focusing on key milestones such as the birth of the idea and the first democratic regime in ancient Athens, and later, nearly two millennia later, the revival and transformation of democracy during the American and French Revolutions, Dan will provide his answer.

Drawing on the idea of opposition between the "self-interest system" and the "system of equality," as discussed by Bouface: Democracy supported the (aristocratic) system of self-interest, which in turn adopted and reshaped democracy. Thus, while the system of self-interest is defined precisely through its opposition to what fundamentally defines democracy, namely the system of equality, democracy managed to prevail because it "made peace" with wealth and power, which in turn benefited from the citizens' legal equality.

Thanks to this balancing function, democracy proved to be the most effective form of government in modern society. And while today we see many problems faced by Western democracies, Dan reminds us that democracy is not a cure-all for any of them. But it is a mistake to attribute these problems to democracy itself.

If there is responsibility, if it ultimately proves to exist, it will not be in the stars or even among the politicians, whether professionals or amateurs, whom we choose to govern us. It will be in ourselves. That is the promise of democracy and, even in its weakened form that Western citizens experience today, that is what democracy will offer.