The Spirit of Democracy: The Struggle to Build Free Societies Throughout the World

"Meticulous . . . [Diamond] gleaned that . . . the fate of democracy was not driven by events but by the passion of individual people."—The New York Times Book Review

In 1974, nearly three-quarters of all countries were dictatorships; today, more than half are democracies. Yet recent efforts to promote democracy have stumbled, and many democratic governments are faltering.

In this sweeping vision for advancing freedom around the world, renowned social scientist Larr…