Free About 1 hr0 learners Rev. 2026-10-09 0

A clear, even-handed introduction to democracy as an idea and a practice. Eight levels cover what democracy means and why it is hard to define, the assembly democracy of ancient Athens and its first critics, republics and representation from Rome to Madison, how democracy spread, the main forms democracies take, how different voting systems turn votes into decisions, deliberation and the protection of minorities, and how democracies fail and are defended.

The aim is understanding, not persuasion: you should finish able to explain why thoughtful people have championed democracy, why equally thoughtful people have doubted it, and what trade-offs every democratic design involves. No background needed.

Levels

  1. 1 1. What Democracy Is, and Why It Is Hard to Define 5-question quiz
  2. 2 2. Athens: The First Democracy and Its Critics 5-question quiz
  3. 3 3. Republics and Representation 5-question quiz
  4. 4 4. The Spread of Democracy 5-question quiz
  5. 5 5. The Many Forms of Democracy 5-question quiz
  6. 6 6. Voting Systems: Turning Votes into Decisions 5-question quiz
  7. 7 7. Deliberation, Participation and Minority Rights 5-question quiz
  8. 8 8. How Democracies Fail and How They Are Defended 5-question quiz

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