Politics and Democracy: What it is and it how we got here.

The concept of democracy spread throughout the ancient world, it reached the Roman Republic started the ideology of representative democracy. Roman citizens could elect leaders and participate in government decisions, though the power was held by an elite class. This model would later inspire the development of modern representative systems.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, feudalism dominated Europe for centuries, and democratic ideals were largely suppressed. However, during the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, philosophers such as John Locke and Montesquieu revived the ideas of individual liberty, equality, and the separation of powers, which significantly influenced the development of modern democracy.

The American Revolution (1776) and the French Revolution (1789) marked key turning points, introducing the concept of popular sovereignty and establishing republics where the people had the power to choose their leaders. The American Constitution, particularly the Bill of Rights, enshrined democratic principles such as freedom of speech and the right to vote.

The 19th and 20th centuries saw the expansion of democracy across the globe, with suffrage extending to women and marginalized groups, and decolonization bringing democratic ideals to new nations. Today, democracy remains an evolving idea.