Alec Russell’s Big Read (January 4) presents democracy as a legacy of “the west”, born from discussions in classical Athens and the thoughts of 18th-century Enlightenment philosophers. However, this view is problematic for two reasons.
First, it implies that democratic ideals like freedom and equality are western concepts, which is inaccurate. While the west coined many terms, it’s uncommon to find any western thinkers before the 18th century who explicitly supported democracy as the ideal form of government.
Second, this presentation suggests that all positive political developments stem from the west — even though history shows that the western world has been responsible for some of the worst forms of government, many “unfree”, which have spawned catastrophic wars, enslavement practices and colonisation.
Considering these points, a more balanced approach would recognise democracy as an evolving, global concept with contributions from various civilisations and thinkers, not limited to the west, Athens or the 18th century. Indeed, it would be heartening to see historians acknowledge that “the west” is just one of many entities in crisis, learning to contribute to a more just and free world.
Sebastian Woller
Bern, Switzerland
