(Illustration by Paul Zwolak)

Introduction

Democracy may be a word familiar to most, but it is a concept still misunderstood and misused at a time when dictators, single-party regimes, and military coup leaders alike assert popular support by claiming the mantle of democracy. Yet the power of the democratic idea has prevailed through a long and turbulent history, and democratic government, despite continuing challenges, continues to evolve and flourish throughout the world.

Editor-in-Chief: George Clack | Executive Editor: Mildred Solá Neely | Managing Editor: Paul Malamud | Writer: Howard Cincotta | Art Director/Design: Ted Miksinski | Photo Research: Maggie Johnson Sliker | Web Producer: Janine Perry | Cover Designer: Paul Zwolak

Consulting Editor:Phillippa Strum, Director, Division of U.S. Studies, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.