xi, 252 p. ; 23 cm

"This book explores the intriguing idea that there is much more democracy in human history than is generally acknowledged. It establishes that democracy was developing across greater Asia before classical Athens, clung on during the 'Dark Ages', often formed part of indigenous governance and is developing today in unexpected ways"--

Includes bibliographical references (p. 225-243) and index

Machine generated contents note: -- Introduction: Democracy and History -- PART I: PRE-ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY -- What is so 'Primitive' about 'Primitive Democracy'? Comparing the Ancient Middle East and Classical Athens; B.Isakhan -- Before Athens: Early Popular Government in Phoenicia and Greek City States; S.Stockwell -- Republics and Quasi-Democratic Institutions in Ancient India; S.Muhlberger -- Digging for Democracy in China; P.Keating -- PART II: DEMOCRACY IN THE 'DARK AGES' -- Behind a Veil: Islam's Democratic History; M.Abdalla& H.Rane -- Ideals and Aspirations: Democracy and Law-Making in Medieval Iceland; P.P.Boulhosa -- Democratic Culture in the Early Venetian Republic; S.Stockwell -- PARR III: INDIGENOUS DEMOCRACY AND COLONIALISM -- Africa's Indigenous Democracies: The Baganda of Uganda; I.Kizza -- The Hunters who Owned Themselves; P.Paine -- Aboriginal Australia and Democracy: Old Traditions, New Challenges; L.Behrendt -- The Pre-History of the Post-Apartheid Settlement: Non-Racial Democracy in South Africa's Cape Colony, 1853-1936; P.Fry -- PART IV: ALTERNATIVE CURRENTS IN MODERN DEMOCRACY -- Birthing Democracy: The Role of Women in the Democratic Discourse of the Middle East; K.L.Gandolfo -- The Streets of Iraq: Protests and Democracy after Saddam; B. Isakhan -- Monitory Democracy? The Secret History of Democracy Since 1945; J.Keane -- Conclusion: Democratizing the History of Democracy; B.Isakhan & S.Stockwell

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