What Democracy Does . . . And Does Not Do

Issue Date October 2025
Volume 36
Issue 4
Page Numbers 5–19
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This essay evaluates the real-world outcomes of democracy amid growing global democratic disillusionment. Drawing on extensive comparative research, the author argues that democracies generally foster longer lives, more education, greater peace, and sustained economic growth, though not always with consistent quality or speed. While autocracies sometimes achieve rapid gains, they also produce volatility, repression, and data manipulation. The essay highlights democracy’s advantages in accountability, press freedom, and institutional checks, which collectively enhance societal well-being. The author concludes that, on balance, democracy offers the strongest odds for healthier, more stable, and prosperous societies.

About the Author

Maya Tudor is professor of politics and public policy at the Blavatnik School of Government and fellow at St Hilda’s College at the University of Oxford. Her most recent book is Varieties of Nationalism (with Harris Mylonas, 2023).

View all work by Maya Tudor

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