FOUNDATIONS OF DEMOCRACY

by Tom Lansford

What defines a citizen? Who can become one? Does the creation of new citizens benefit a country or threaten it? All democracies grapple with questions about who should or should not become citizens of their countries. But not all countries answer these questions in the same ways. The benefits of democracy can be found in every part of the globe. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and its communist ideology in 1991, democracy has been touted as the only real answer to the world’s challenges. At the same time, the true meaning of democracy has rarely been so extensively tested. Foundations of Democracy, will take a global view of the fundamental cornerstones of this form of government that Winston Churchill famously called “the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried.”

by Tom Lansford

Corruption has been a feature of governments throughout history, and it remains a problem today. Eliminating—or at least reducing—corruption is an important part of making the political process function on behalf of regular citizens. Accountability and openness, also called transparency, is a key feature of all functioning democracies. The benefits of democracy can be found in every part of the globe. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and its communist ideology in 1991, democracy has been touted as the only real answer to the world’s challenges. At the same time, the true meaning of democracy has rarely been so extensively tested. Foundations of Democracy, will take a global view of the fundamental cornerstones of this form of government that Winston Churchill famously called “the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried.”

by Jack Covarubias

Striking a balance between the right of corporations to earn a profit with the rights of the people they employ is a key struggle in any democracy. The challenges are many, from fair and equal pay to workplace safety, and from hiring discrimination to protection from unjust firing. This book explores these issues and the various solutions that have been found by the world’s democracies. The benefits of democracy can be found in every part of the globe. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and its communist ideology in 1991, democracy has been touted as the only real answer to the world’s challenges. At the same time, the true meaning of democracy has rarely been so extensively tested. Foundations of Democracy, will take a global view of the fundamental cornerstones of this form of government that Winston Churchill famously called “the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried.”

by Marie des Neiges Léonard

Abraham Lincoln noted that governments should be “of the people, by the people, [and] for the people.” And yet, female citizens have often found that they are not as well served as men. Efforts to bring fair treatment to all people regardless of their gender or orientation are an important part of making democracy work for everyone. The benefits of democracy can be found in every part of the globe. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and its communist ideology in 1991, democracy has been touted as the only real answer to the world’s challenges. At the same time, the true meaning of democracy has rarely been so extensively tested. Foundations of Democracy, will take a global view of the fundamental cornerstones of this form of government that Winston Churchill famously called “the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried.”

by Tom Lansford

Criminal justice issues—including the use of force by police, fairness in trials and sentencing, and equal treatment of minority groups—are some of the most contentious debates of our time. How do we balance respect the need for safe streets and homes with the need to respect the rights of the accused? Different democracies approach these questions in vastly different ways. The benefits of democracy can be found in every part of the globe. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and its communist ideology in 1991, democracy has been touted as the only real answer to the world’s challenges. At the same time, the true meaning of democracy has rarely been so extensively tested. Foundations of Democracy, will take a global view of the fundamental cornerstones of this form of government that Winston Churchill famously called “the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried.”

by Tom Lansford

The right of citizens to play a role in political decision-making is fundamental to democracy. And yet, it took many decades of struggle for the vote to be extended to everyone—and controversies about voting rights continue to rage today. Democracies across the globe also struggle with issues such as voter ID laws, voter apathy, and how to avoid the so-called “tyranny of the majority.” The benefits of democracy can be found in every part of the globe. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and its communist ideology in 1991, democracy has been touted as the only real answer to the world’s challenges. At the same time, the true meaning of democracy has rarely been so extensively tested. Foundations of Democracy, will take a global view of the fundamental cornerstones of this form of government that Winston Churchill famously called “the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried.”

by David H. Holt

The world’s first democracy, the United States, was founded in large part as a reaction against religious oppression. So it’s no surprise that the protection of rights to religious and cultural beliefs and practices are cornerstones of democratic societies. And yet, even in our heterogeneous world, protections for ethnic and religious minorities can seem fragile at best. The benefits of democracy can be found in every part of the globe. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and its communist ideology in 1991, democracy has been touted as the only real answer to the world’s challenges. At the same time, the true meaning of democracy has rarely been so extensively tested. Foundations of Democracy, will take a global view of the fundamental cornerstones of this form of government that Winston Churchill famously called “the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried.”

by Robert J .Pauly, Jr.

The rights to free speech and expression are a vital part of any democracy. Balancing these rights with other priorities—such as national defense and the protection of minorities—is an ongoing struggle both in the United States and in democracies across the globe. The benefits of democracy can be found in every part of the globe. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and its communist ideology in 1991, democracy has been touted as the only real answer to the world’s challenges. At the same time, the true meaning of democracy has rarely been so extensively tested. Foundations of Democracy, will take a global view of the fundamental cornerstones of this form of government that Winston Churchill famously called “the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried.”