The Decline and Rise of Democracy: A Global History from Antiquity to Today

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"One of the most important books on political regimes written in a generation."-Steven Levitsky, New York Times-bestselling author of How Democracies Die A new understanding of how and why early democracy took hold, how modern democracy evolved, and what this teaches us about the future Historical accounts of democracy's rise tend to focus on a

Reviews

"One of BBC History Magazine's Best Books of 2020"
"A bracing stringency is one of the virtues of The Decline and Rise of Democracy. It sweeps across the globe in command of recent scholarship. . . . It shows how complex democracys patterns are and, on the evidence, how simpler accounts of its past and prospects stumble." * The Economist *
"An outstanding volume that analyses the development of democracy and autocracy in a refreshing and relevant way."---Simon Sebag Montefiore, BBC History Magazine
"Democracy is a naturally occurring condition in humanity societies. This single idea sets Stasavage apart from so many theorists who look to the past."---Justin Kempf, Democracy Paradox
"I opened The Decline and Rise of Democracy: A Global History from Antiquity to Today, by David Stasavage (Princeton, 2020), hoping to find insights on the prospects for democracy in Russia, and China. And so I did. I closed the book with a better understanding of American democracy as well."---David Warsh, Economic Principals
"A rich and coherent account of democracys evolution over millennia and across diverse geographical and environmental settings, "a deep history". . . . This volume helps us look into the future, and one might be unsettled by what can be seen."---Varghese K. George, The Hindu
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This books optimism and wide-eyed wonder sprouts like T.S. Eliots lilac through the dead earth of current Western declinism.

"---David Muir, The American Interest
"A fascinating voyage through time and place."---Pierre Lemieux, Regulation
"David Stasavage offers a rich, international overview on the origins of democracy and the conditions under which democracy flourishes (or doesnt). . . . an outstanding piece of scholarly writing not just because of the theory it develops, but how it does so: In clear, concise, and forceful prose the rarest of combinations, which makes this book all the more enjoyable."---Felix Simon, Medium
"[Stasavage's] approach is refreshing and inspiring."---Wim Blockmans, Parliaments, Estates, and Representation
"Stasavage has written an excellent analysis of the concept of democracy that gives hope and a better understanding of how this concept can be salvaged from the threats that are rising and the challenges that lie ahead."---John M. Bublic, The European Legacy

Author Bio

David Stasavage is dean for the social sciences and Julius Silver Professor of Politics at New York University. His books include Taxing the Rich and States of Credit (both Princeton). Twitter @stasavage