This title examines democracy in world history from its birthplace in Athens, Greece to the creation of modern democracies such as those in the United States, Germany, and Pakistan. Other types of government are compared and contrasted, as are the properties of the free market economy. The rights and responsibilities of the people under a democratic government are also examined. Influences such as Greek philosophers Aristotle, Plato, Ecclesia, and Pericles, as well as more modern leaders such as George Washington, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson are discussed. Important events such as the American Revolution and the French Revolution are included, as are important documents such as the Magna Carta, Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Important works such as The Republic, The Federalist Papers, and Democracy in America are introduced, and the foundations of a strong democracy such as voting, jury duty, and inalienable rights are covered. Exploring World Governments is a series in Essential Library, an imprint of ABDO Publishing Company.