No political concept is more used & misused than that of democracy Nearly every regime today claims to be democratic but not all 'democracies' allow free politics & free politics existed long before democratic franchises This book is a short account of the history of the doctrine & practice of democracy from ancient Greece & Rome through the American French & Russian revolutions & of the usages & practices associated with it in the modern world It argues that democracy is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for good government & that ideas of the rule of law & of human rights should in some situations limit democratic claims ABOUT THE SERIES The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly Our expert authors combine facts analysis perspective new ideas & enthusiasm to make interesting & challenging topics highly readable