The benefits of democracy can be found in all corners of the world. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and its communist ideology in 1991, democracy has been touted as the only real answer to the worlds challenges. At the same time, the true meaning and character of democracy has never been so extensively tested: are human rights for all more important than cultural tolerance of minorities? Is economic freedom necessary for political freedom? How are the rights of the media best balanced with national security concerns? Whether it comes to defining citizenship, protecting civil rights, defending free speech, or fighting corruption, the democratic process is always fluid and never uncomplicated. The new series, Foundations of Democracy, will take a global view of the fundamental cornerstones of this form of government that Winston Churchill famously called the worst political system except for all the others.
